The Eurasian Eagle Owl

The Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo, is one of the largest of the Strigidae owl family, and one of the birds highest in the food chain.

Eagle Owl - Brocken Inaglory - CC-BY-SA-3.0

The Eurasian Eagle Owl can be found across Europe, particularly Russia and Scandinavia, south into Saharan Africa, and east into India and central Asia. There are many subspecies of Eagle owls, often dependent upon location, and even separate species are now identified, including the likes of the Indian Eagle Owl (or Bengal Eagle Owl). The wide range of the Eagle Owl does take in an equally wide range of habitats, and although primarily found in the uninhabited deserts, forest or mountain areas, it is not unknown to find them living near to landfills and rubbish dumps.

The Eagle Owl is one of the largest birds of prey, although smaller than the Blakiston’s Fish Owl. As is the case with many birds of prey, the female eagle Owl is larger than the male. An Eagle Owl can grow up to 72cm in length, with a wingspan of over 180cm. Female Eagle Owls can weigh as much as 4.2 kg, which is over eight times as much as the Barn Owl.

In terms of colour, the Eagle Owl is predominantly brown-black, with distinctive bars, and speckling of buff colour upon the head. The owl also has a buff facial disc, with white chin and throat. The ear tufts of the Eagle Owl are also prominent, and quite upright upon the male owls, although their position is dependent upon the mood of the owl.

The Eagle Owl has conspicuous orange eyes, with black claws and bill.

Each owl has a slightly different call, and with the Eagle Owl a “ooh-hu, ooh-hu, ooh-hu” is the normal sound emitted. For males this is a deep call, although females are slightly more high pitched.

Eurasian Eagle Owl - Richerman - CC-BY-SA-3.0

The Eagle Owl sill undertake a near noiseless flight and glide, allowing it to surprise much of its prey when hunting. The Eagle Owl, although generally a nocturnal bird, is often seen hunting during dusk and dawn. It will seek out small mammals to feed upon, the likes of voles and hares, it can sometimes though also seek out larger prey, including young deer and foxes. Food though is often dependent upon environment, and birds, including other owl breeds, snakes and lizards are also eaten.

During the breeding season, the Eagle Owls, who generally pair for life, will seek out a nesting area on cliff ledges or other inaccessible areas, often making use of old nests, especially those of large birds of prey. The eagle Owls will rarely make sue of vegetation or other materials to add to the nest. Into the nest between one and four eggs are laid in a single clutch, although eggs are often laid as far as three days apart. These eggs are then incubated by the female Eagle Owl, with incubation taking between four and five weeks.

During this period the male owl will bring food for his mate, and then for the hatchlings as well. Fledging for the young owls will take anywhere up to twenty four weeks. If the fledglings last through their first year then there is a good chance that they will live to about twenty years of age, having no natural predators.

Copyright - First Published 14th April 2010