Eagle Owl
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While matched in weight by Snowy Owls, in wingspan by Verraux's Eagle Owls and length by Powerful Owls, overall, the Eurasian Eagle Owl is the world's largest owl.
DISTRIBUTION
Eurasian Eagle Owls are found throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, the Middle East & Asia, with some being found breeding as far south as the Sahara in Africa. There are reports of some Eagle Owls currently living in the wild in the UK, in particular, a pair were nesting & breeding for nearly 10 years from 1997 years on MOD property on the North Yorkshire moors, they were thought to have successfully reared over 20 young. It is likely that many of the nesting birds are escaped or (illegally) released captive birds, but with records of migrations with distances as long as 400 miles it is highly likely that a proportion of the of them will be migrants from Scandinavia or other western European countries.
APPEARANCE
Length: 58-73cm
Wingspan: 150-200cm
Weight: 1600-4200g
FOOD
The Eurasian Eagle Owl hunts predominantly at dusk & into the early night. They have occassionally been found sharing territories with Golden Eagles, with the eagles hunting during the day & the owls at night. They are not prepared to live peacefully with all birds of prey though, in particular goshawks. They have also been found to drive away Peregrines from near to their nesting sites. They have been reported as regularly preying on buzzards, goshawks, gyrfalcons, Tawny Owls, Long-Eared Owls & other small birds of prey, including their young. While other birds, such as ducks, pheasants, pigeons & crows, may be taken (often in flight), their main prey is mammals. They are able to catch prey spreading a large range of sizes, from mice & voles, through rabbits & hares, up to foxes, young sheep & roe deer.
BREEDING
Breeding takes place from February through to July. The female usually lays 1 or 2 eggs, very rarely as many as 4, the number may be dependant on the available food supply. The female incubates the eggs on her own (taking 32-35 days), while the male brings her food, this continues for the first four or five weeks after hatching, when the female will help to catch food for the young. It is not uncommon for 1 of the young to die while still in the nest & this will be eaten by any remaining young. They are able to fly at around seven to eight weeks after hatching, but are dependant on their parents for some time after. It is usually late autumn by the time they are fully independant. There is often a high mortality rate during the first winter, but if they survive that first winter, in the wild, they may live up to 20 years. In captivity they have been recorded living up to 60 years.
DISTRIBUTION
Eurasian Eagle Owls are found throughout Europe, Scandinavia, Russia, the Middle East & Asia, with some being found breeding as far south as the Sahara in Africa. There are reports of some Eagle Owls currently living in the wild in the UK, in particular, a pair were nesting & breeding for nearly 10 years from 1997 years on MOD property on the North Yorkshire moors, they were thought to have successfully reared over 20 young. It is likely that many of the nesting birds are escaped or (illegally) released captive birds, but with records of migrations with distances as long as 400 miles it is highly likely that a proportion of the of them will be migrants from Scandinavia or other western European countries.
APPEARANCE
Length: 58-73cm
Wingspan: 150-200cm
Weight: 1600-4200g
FOOD
The Eurasian Eagle Owl hunts predominantly at dusk & into the early night. They have occassionally been found sharing territories with Golden Eagles, with the eagles hunting during the day & the owls at night. They are not prepared to live peacefully with all birds of prey though, in particular goshawks. They have also been found to drive away Peregrines from near to their nesting sites. They have been reported as regularly preying on buzzards, goshawks, gyrfalcons, Tawny Owls, Long-Eared Owls & other small birds of prey, including their young. While other birds, such as ducks, pheasants, pigeons & crows, may be taken (often in flight), their main prey is mammals. They are able to catch prey spreading a large range of sizes, from mice & voles, through rabbits & hares, up to foxes, young sheep & roe deer.
BREEDING
Breeding takes place from February through to July. The female usually lays 1 or 2 eggs, very rarely as many as 4, the number may be dependant on the available food supply. The female incubates the eggs on her own (taking 32-35 days), while the male brings her food, this continues for the first four or five weeks after hatching, when the female will help to catch food for the young. It is not uncommon for 1 of the young to die while still in the nest & this will be eaten by any remaining young. They are able to fly at around seven to eight weeks after hatching, but are dependant on their parents for some time after. It is usually late autumn by the time they are fully independant. There is often a high mortality rate during the first winter, but if they survive that first winter, in the wild, they may live up to 20 years. In captivity they have been recorded living up to 60 years.
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