Bird Profiles - European Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)
Pictures @ Ian McGuire
Description
Very large owl with prominent ear tufts and vivid orange eyes. Very variable throughout range. Nominate race; buff-brown upper-parts, heavily marked with black, greyish (grayish) facial disk. Under-parts paler buff-brown with black streaks, and fine brown barring on belly, white throat. Becomes paler as you move eastwards in the northern parts of the range up to western Siberia, then progressively darker to Pacific coast. Birds becomes paler from north to south in Asia Minor and Middle East. Size decreases East to West, and North to South.
Size
60-75cm, 1500-4200g
Range
From Europe across Russia to Pacific, South to Iran, Pakistan across to China and Korea.
Habitat
Mainly remote rocky areas, river valleys, ravines, quarries etc. also open forest, Taiga, steppe and semi desert.
Food
Mainly mammals from shrews up to foxes and young deer. Also a wide range of birds, reptiles and amphibians.
Breeding
Usually begins breeding in late winter. 1-4 eggs are laid on a shelter cliff ledge, in a crevice or a sheltered depression on the ground. The eggs are incubated for about 35 days. The young leave the nest by about 5 weeks and can normally fly within a further 3 weeks. They become independent by about 24 weeks old.
Call
A deep resonant "ooh-hu" with emphasis on the first syllable.
Status
Not globally threatened, although rare or uncommon through most of its range. Becoming very scarce in parts of Europe.
Comments
I n some parts of Europe, this species has been successfully reintroduced back into the wild, following restoration of suitable habitat. A good example of the importance of captive breeding.
Thank you to the World Owl Trust for their help compiling this page
