High in a conifer of Yellowstone National Park, a Great Gray Owl scans the forest below, eyes wide and unblinking as it searches for its next meal. Pine cones cluster along the branches around it, subtle details that anchor the owl within its boreal home and hint at the layered complexity of this ecosystem. Though one of North America’s largest owls, the Great Gray often feels more like a ghost—silent, elusive, and easily missed among the trees it depends on.