They are known as some of nature 's most reclusive predators , and it seems this owl was keen to live up to that reputation when it was spotted by a photographer in a park in the Czech Republic . Peeking out from behind a tree , the huge bird of prey appeared to play hide and seek with senior engineer and photographer Jiri Michal as he tried to capture it on film . The amusing game of peek-a-boo took place in Vysoka , a small village in the country 's hilly east , while the seven-year-old male owl was out hunting . Surprise : A great grey owl pokes it head out from behind a tree as Jiri Michal , 34 , a senior engineer and photographer , captures the bird of prey on film . Playing games : Mr Michal , who spent three hours trying to photograph owls before spotting this one , said he was n't sure what the bird was doing , but it appeared to be playing a game with him . Mr Michal , 34 , of Pilsen , Czech Republic , said : ' I was n't sure what this mischievous owl was doing , however it kept poking its head out from behind this tree as if it was playing a game with me . 'Owls are definitely my favourite birds . They have amazing eyes and are always pleasure to photograph . ' Mr Michal said he had been photographing the birds for three hours when he spotted this one roughly 20ft away . He added : 'This owl was not in the mood to play for too long , and straight after I took these pictures he flew off . ' I 'm forever thinking up new ideas for what to photograph and I love nature as a whole . From the smallest insects to the larger birds and mammals , they must all be protected . ' The great grey owl is the largest species of owl , measuring up to two and a half feet in length , and lives in northern America , Canada , and northern Europe . Despite owl 's reputation as night hunters , great grey owls often seek out prey during the day , perching high in branches and using their excellent hearing and eyesight to track down prey . Now you see me : The great grey owl is the largest species of owl , measuring up to two and a half feet in length . Despite the animal 's reputation for being nocturnal , this species often hunts during the day . Youngster : Mr Michal believes the owl was a male , and was around seven years old , making it relatively young . Captive birds have been known to live up to 27 years old . Their large face , and two disc-shaped plumes of feathers around their eyes , act as satellite dishes , filtering sound into two highly sensitive ears under the feathers . Their hearing is so acute that , during the winter months , the owls often hunt by swooping low over snow drifts , listening for the sound of voles or gophers moving around underneath . Their large , soft feathers and slow , deep wingbeats mean they are nearly silent as they move , so as not to scare their prey away . Once they have locked on to a target underneath the snow , they will use their sharp talons to plunge through the ice and drag their meal out . While the birds are not migratory , they will roam for miles around their usual hunting grounds if prey becomes scarce .
Jiri Michal , 34 , spotted owl while walking in park in Czech Republic . Animal seemed to be playing game with him while hopping around a tree . Great grey owls can reach more than two feet long and hunt in daylight .