Owl - a very interesting night predatory bird, whose lifestyle and habits are not fully understood by zoologists even today. Since ancient times, the owl bird has attracted people with its unusual beauty, mysterious appearance, but today owls are listed in, as they are on the verge of extinction. Our today's article is about them.

Owl - description, structure, characteristics. What does an owl look like?

Eagle owls are close relatives of owls. Although not even so, according to the zoological classification, they belong to the owl family, the subfamily of real owls and the genus of owls proper, we can say that the owls are the largest representatives of the owl family, and the common owl, in turn, is the largest of the owls and owls. Its height reaches 75 cm in length, and its average weight is about 4 kg.

But Fraser's owl is the smallest owl, having only up to 44 cm in length and no heavier than 815 grams.

An interesting fact: among owls, like many insects, there is sexual dimorphism - females are larger and heavier than males.

The physique of the owls is dense and stocky, the shape of the body is barrel-shaped, it is believed that it is so because of the thick and loose plumage that the owls possess. The legs of the eagle owl are short but strong, with long and tenacious black claws that serve to capture potential prey.

The wings of the eagle owl are powerful, long, their owners are excellent flyers. The wingspan of the eagle owl is 1.8-1.9 m.

The owl's head is very large, wide, has a rounded shape, besides, it has additional bunches of feathers, it is they that form what is called the "signature" ears of the owl.

The eagle owl's beak is usually short and strong, black in color, with a special hook at its tip, with which the bird makes special clicking sounds.

The plumage of the eagle owl is thick and lush. Usually eagle owls have a rusty brown or smoky gray color. The head and chest are often decorated with dark teardrop-shaped spots.

The owl's eyes are very large (one might even say huge), usually yellow, bright orange or red. The eyes themselves of these birds are well developed, moreover, eagle owls see perfectly from a greater distance, equally well, both at night and during the day. But they do not distinguish colors at all, the vision of owls is black and white.

In addition to good eyesight, eagle owls have even more excellent, sharp hearing, which has a kind of acoustic filter that will allow the bird to filter only the necessary sounds.

An interesting fact: the special anatomical structure of the owl's head allows him to quite calmly rotate his head 200 degrees without fear of twisting his neck.

Owl voice

Owl can boast of his rich sound and voice repertoire. Sometimes the "signature" hoot of an eagle owl can be heard at a distance of up to 4 km. Usually, eagle owls become “talkative” and noisy during their mating season, then the females begin to actively call to each other with their male cavaliers.

Eagle owl life span

The life of an eagle owl in the wild usually lasts about 20 years, but in captivity these birds have even lived to be 68 years old!

What is the difference between an owl and an owl

Although eagle owls and owls are close relatives, there are significant differences between them, which we will write about below.

• Eagle owls are larger and more massive than owls, for example, the weight of an average owl is 4 kg, while the weight of an average owl is half as much - 2 kg.
• Eagle owls can be distinguished by the characteristic "signature ears" growing on the head of feathers, and the owl's head is absolutely even.
• The gastronomic preferences of owls and owls differ, if owls prefer to feast on various small rodents, then owls like to hunt larger game.

What is the difference between an owl and an owl

• The owl, in fact, is an even smaller owl and therefore it is easier to distinguish it from the owl, the owl is small, the owl is large.
• The owl, like the owl, does not have characteristic feather ears.
• Many owls differ from their relatives, owls and owls, in that, unlike those, they lead a daytime lifestyle.

Where does the owl live

The habitat of eagle owls is very wide; they are found in most countries of Eurasia, Africa, North and South America. They usually settle in forest and mountainous areas.

Eagle owl lifestyle

Almost all eagle owls, with the exception of the northern ones, are sedentary birds. Northern Filins in winter period fly south in search of food.

How eagle owls hunt

Eagle owls are excellent hunters, besides, unlike the same owls, they are able to hunt equally successfully both day and night. Usually, the process of hunting for owls goes like this: making short flights, they look out for potential prey, and when such an owl falls into its eyes, it quickly rushes at the victim, thrusts its sharp claws into its body.

An interesting fact: when hunting for fish, eagle owls can even dive into the water, diving for a while.

Small prey, field mice, other rodents, the eagle owl, as a rule, swallows whole, but the larger game is first torn apart with its claws.

What does an owl eat

The diet of the eagle owl largely depends on its species, so there are fish owls that successfully hunt fish and crabs. Speaking about the diet of the common owl, it is very diverse and includes rodents, hares, squirrels, marmots, snakes, even. A large common eagle owl may well attack such large living creatures as roe deer, deer, badgers, mountain goats

Owl Enemies

Under natural conditions, an adult owl has practically no enemies. But the main enemy of these beautiful birds(however, like many other animals) is, of course, a person. Many eagle owls die from the bullets of hunters-poachers, who specifically shoot them for the purpose of extracting feathers, claws and internal organs.

Types of owls, photos and names

First, the snowy owl was isolated by scientists in separate view, but later ornithologists, after conferring, decided to attribute the snowy owl to the genus of owls. The polar owl is the largest representative of owls inhabiting the tundra, it reaches 70 cm in length and up to 3 kg of weight. The white color of these birds makes them almost invisible against the background of the northern winter landscape. The main food of the snowy owl is lemmings, these fluffy pilgrims, and the way of life, including the snowy owl, is largely associated with their famous migrations. Namely, in those years when many lemmings die due to migrations, snowy owls also stop breeding due to lack of food supply.

Another name for it is the Far Eastern fish owl, which denotes the habitat of this bird. The fish owl is also one of the largest representatives of the family of owls and owls, has a length of 70 cm and weighs about 4 kg. Its main food is fish and other seafood. The nests of these eagle owls are usually located in the hollows of old trees near the water.

Also known as the scarecrow. This is another large representative of the owl kingdom, living in a wide geographical area from Europe to China. The common owl settles, as a rule, in forests, but can live in the desert, mountains. It has many objects for hunting, according to zoologists, it feeds on only 300 species of birds and about 130 species of rodents, in general, these owls have everything in order with gastronomic diversity.

The Bengal owl is medium in size, its body length averages 50-56 cm, and its weight is 1.1 kg. Its distinctive feature is the light color of the plumage of yellow-brown. It lives in such Asian countries as India, Pakistan, Nepal, Burma, is under the protection of the Indian authorities.

This species of eagle owl, which lives in America, was first discovered by white colonists in the territory of the modern state of Virginia, USA, for which it got its name. With its size, it is literally slightly inferior to the common European owl - its length reaches 63.5 cm. And this is the largest owl on the American continent. It also differs in a variety of plumage colors, it can be rusty-brown, black, white, gray. The diet and lifestyle of the virgin eagle owl is very similar to those of European relatives.

Also known as spotted owl. On the contrary, it is a very small representative of the kingdom of eagle owls, it grows to a length of only 45 cm. The plumage of this owl is red-brown in color with white spots randomly scattered throughout the body. It lives, as its name implies, on the African continent, in North Africa but is also found in the Arabian Peninsula. Due to its small size, the main diet of this eagle owl is various large insects.

Also known as the Abyssinian owl. Previously, they were considered a subspecies of the African eagle owl, but later ornithologists identified them as a separate species. They have a light brown or smoky color with dark spots on the chest. They live in Africa, south of the arid desert of the Sahara.

Nepalese eagle owl, which lives in Asian countries of medium size, its body length is about 51-61 cm. It has a grayish-brown color, it is interesting that younger individuals of the Nepalese eagle owl are colored lighter than older representatives. Also special distinctive feature this type of owl is its voice, it is very similar to a human. This feature of it often frightens the local population, which is why this bird was even nicknamed "ulama", which is translated from Nepalese as "devil bird".

Owl breeding

Sexual maturity in eagle owls is reached in the second or third year of life. And the eagle owls are monogamous birds, creating strong families that do not break up even at the end of the mating season, the “in love” pair of owls continues to live and hunt together.

The mating ritual of eagle owls begins with the search for a partner, the female, as a rule, calls the male with a special hoot. Then there is a ritual feeding and kissing each other with beaks (of course, the "kissing" of the owls may be different than our understanding of this action).

Then the eagle owls arrange nests in the hollows of trees, they can also occupy other people's nests, depending on the species. After some time, the female begins to lay eggs, she does this with an interval of one to two days. Usually a full clutch of owl eggs is 4-5 eggs.

Eagle owl eggs are round and covered with a rough shell. The eggs are incubated exclusively by the female, while the male is engaged in the extraction of food for his family. After 32-35 days, small owls hatch from the eggs. Little owls are born blind and see only on the fourth day of life.

The first days of life, little owls are under the care and protection of the mother, who feeds and protects her cubs. After 5-7 weeks, eagle owl chicks are already able to make short flights, by the 8th week they can confidently fly short distances, and after another month they become ready for adult and independent life.

• Eagle owls, like owls, are smart birds (it’s not for nothing that the owl was the personification of wisdom even among the ancient Greeks), some of the habits of these birds speak of their high intelligence. For example, if the eagle owl's nest is in danger, it circles around with its wings wide open, so as to appear larger and more terrible to its enemy.
• Since ancient times, owls have been surrounded by various unkind human superstitions. So, for example, it was believed that an owl sitting on the roof of a house portends the imminent death of one of the household members. For the same reason, various sorcerers used the bones and skull of the owl for magical rituals.
• According to scientists, an eagle owl is able to hoot more than 100 times a night.

Owl bird, video

And at the end of the video, a story about our today's hero, an owl.

Owl- predatory bird, whose life image is still not fully understood. A feathered predator of extraordinary beauty is inscribed in Red and today, experts believe that the probability of the complete disappearance of this species of birds is high.

When it is necessary to describe the habitats of the eagle owl, it is easier to immediately give an explanation that this one lives everywhere, but in the tundra, apparently, the climate does not suit her and therefore she does not settle there. But it feels great in deserts, in mountainous areas, forests and vast steppes.

Filina often called big owl and this is true because they are related species birds. Which this bird, as owl looks, what it eats and how it lives, you can talk endlessly, because this type of bird is unique and full of mysteries.

So, let's start the story with the fact that the owl reaches half a meter in size, although females can surpass males and their size is often 70-75 cm. The weight of the bird is small - 2.0-3.0 kg. But what is really impressive is the wingspan of the largest on the planet and it ranges from 1.5 to 1.8 m.

The color of the eagle owl, like many representatives of the fauna, depends on the habitat. There is, however, one interesting feature of the plumage color - this is a color that can be called camouflage. If an owl sits on a tree, then it is very difficult to distinguish it, because it literally merges with the color of the trunk.

The color of the eagle owl helps him to disguise himself against the background of trees.

It is extremely necessary to disguise an owl in life, because being nocturnal, during the day he would not have been able to sleep if nature had not taken care of the color. And all because the annoying, vociferous and other feathered relatives would circle all day long with a loud cry over the place where the owl settled down to rest.

It is no coincidence that the eagle owl won such attention from birds, and some species of birds simply hate him, because, being a predator, he often prefers to catch them and eat them for lunch, which, of course, he does not like.

So they arrange a hubbub if they suddenly see an eagle owl in broad daylight, so they warn their relatives to bypass the place indicated by the cry. Returning to the description of the color, it should be noted that it can be different - golden with dark speckles, reddish with multiple patches of black and brown. The belly of the bird and the sides have a complex and interesting ornament.

The real decoration of the eagle owl is its huge eyes, like moon saucers, and funny little ears on the very top of the head, although these processes, covered with soft feathers, have nothing to do with the auditory organs. Very well conveys the above verbal description owl photo.

The eagle owl has strong claws bent down and massive paws, thanks to this prey caught in the claws of a predator, there is not a single chance to escape. In addition, the claws are sharp, like a scalpel, and can reach the important organs of the prey, which causes the victim to lose the ability to resist.

The flight of the eagle owl is beautiful and almost silent. When the bird soars in the air, the huge wings literally cut the air. To begin with, the eagle owl picks up speed with a few strokes, and then soars evenly and for a long time, carefully examining the terrain and prey.

The nature and lifestyle of the owl

The owl prefers to live in splendid isolation. True, sometimes a female and a male can be neighbors, but each of them has their own personal space and shelter. In addition, they also hunt alone.

The hunting grounds of the eagle owl are very extensive and sometimes they reach 20 square meters. km. Owl – bird, which is called night hunter. He likes to fly around his possessions after sunset.

Pictured is a white owl

But during the day, the feathered predator sleeps off, hiding from the outside world in the dense branches of trees and shrubs, the root part of plants or in a rocky crevice located on the sunny side.

name owl migratory bird partly possible, and partly impossible, because she can fly in the winter, as well as at such times when food supplies run out in the area inhabited by the eagle owl. When the living conditions for the eagle owl are acceptable, he can live all his life in one place. Eagle owls make interesting cries, which people call differently - hooting, laughter, owl sobs.

Vote at birds who are called owls very powerful, lingering, and in response to them they can even respond in the silence of the night. Sometimes in the forest you can hear an extraordinary concert, when the hooting of an owl responds to the beat with the piercing howl of a she-wolf. Ornithologists have calculated that an eagle owl can hoot up to 1 thousand times a night and its roulades fall silent only with the approach of sunrise .

The wingspan of the largest eagle owl on the planet ranges from 1.5 to 1.8 m

In our country wintering we have owl likes to sing on frosty clear nights, however, when the air temperature drops below -5 ° C and there is no wind. By the way, people who decide buy an owl, should be aware of this ability.

It’s good if a person has a country villa and there the screams will not disturb the neighbors at night, but the residents of the high-rise building will certainly not thank the neighbor for the sleepless nights spent.

Eagle owl nutrition

The diet of the eagle owl should be noted varied - small rodents, large species, different kinds reptiles and even This bird also treats fish dishes favorably, and if it is possible to grab a fish from the surface of the water, then it deftly does it.

In nature, there is even a special species - a fish owl, and it is slightly larger in size than its fellow - an ordinary owl. The eagle owl often hunts for, and he is quite capable of dragging such birds as. The bird cannot eat so much meat at once, and therefore hides the remains in a secret place and, if necessary, flies to it and continues to feast.

Reproduction and lifespan of an owl

Once having met, the owls create a married couple and remain faithful until the end of their days. In early spring, the time for the mating season comes and after mating, the female builds a nest, but she does it herself, the male does not participate in the construction of the family nest. The usual view of the eagle owl's nest is a shallow hole right on the ground without any litter, which the female deftly equips, carefully ramming.

Pictured is an eagle owl with chicks

Of course, you can also find an eagle owl nest in a tree, but it will also not be equipped with soft bedding. The clutch is usually 3 rarely 4 milky eggs. The female must hatch the chicks for 30 days and all this time she does not leave the nest, and the male is engaged in preparing provisions at this time - a wonderful family idyll.

After birth, the chicks live in the parental nest for about a month. Three months later, the feathered crumbs, which by that time had already grown enough, fly out of the nest and go to free bread.

The maximum life span of an eagle owl in captivity can approach the mark of forty years. And in the wild, where living conditions are not so favorable, the life of this bird ends much earlier.

General characteristics, description and dimensions

One of the largest owls in the world. The sizes of males vary geographically from 50 cm and 1100 g to 65 cm and 2800 g, females are larger: 60-75 cm and 1700-4200 g. Wingspan - from 160 to 188 cm. belly and black wide longitudinal streaks on the chest and neck. In nature, eagle owls live up to 20 years or more, in captivity - up to 60. Eagle owl is one of the most common representatives of owls in Russia. His lat. the name of the letters. means "owl of owls". The eagle owl is inferior in size only to the fish owl. The eagle owl is easily identified by its size, dark beak, paws pubescent to the claws and feather ears tilted outward. It differs from the fish owl in a more saturated pigmentation of plumage and iridescent eyes, feathered paws and silent flight.

The eagle owl is characterized by deep and measured flapping of wide wings. As a rule, the eagle owl flies slowly over the ground, looking for prey, alternating flapping flight with a short gliding. Eagle owls living in mountains and gorges can use ascending air currents and soar for a long time, describing circles in height, but such a flight is not characteristic of it. If necessary, the eagle owl is able to fly at a speed sufficient to easily overtake the crow. He also has the ability to develop full speed almost instantly, from the first stroke. Sitting down to rest on a tree or the ground, keeps the body upright.

Subspecies

The color of adult birds is rich, rusty-yellow. Dark streaks are almost black. On the head, back and shoulders they predominate. The sizes are average: the length of the wing of males is 430-470 mm (average - 453), females 475-520 mm (average - 485). From the western state borders to the Mezen, Vashka, Volga valleys within the Nizhny Novgorod region, to the Tambov and Voronezh regions. The southern border runs approximately along the 50th parallel.

Slightly lighter than the previous one, with a grayish tint. The dark pattern is less developed and has a brownish tone. Brownish spots on wing coverts. The sizes are average: the length of the wing of males is 430-468 mm (average 446), females 471-515 mm (average 485). From the Mezen, Vashka, Volga valleys within the Nizhny Novgorod region, Tambov and Voronezh regions to the east to the foothills of the Urals, the Uzha valley, the middle course of the Urals. To the north - to the borders of the range. To the south - to the middle reaches of the Don, Lake Manych - Gudilo, the lower reaches of the Volga.

In color, an intermediate form between the two previous subspecies: it differs from the first in a more yellowish, less ocher color, from the second - in a more saturated, to black, color of the mottles. The dimensions are relatively small. The wing length of males is 428-463 mm (average 445), females 468-502 (average 485). From the Carpathians to the Caspian Sea and the coast of Mangyshlak. North to about the 50th parallel, to the middle reaches of the Don; to the south - to Transcaucasia and the state border former USSR, along the coast of Mangyshlak to the southern parts of the peninsula.

The lightest race. The dark streaks are greatly reduced throughout, which makes the bird appear buffy-whitish. The sizes are large: the length of the wing of males is 438-465 mm (average 451), females 472-515 (average 492). From the foothills of the Urals to the Ob, to the north - to the border of the range of the species. To the south - to the 53rd parallel and the foothills of Altai.

In general, it looks more intensely colored than the West Siberian eagle owl; the general tone is grayish with an admixture of ocher. Dark spots are well developed and have a brownish-black color. One of the big races. The wing dimensions of males are 443-468 mm (average 456), females 473-518 (average 487). From the Ob to the east to the Lower Tunguska and Baikal; to the north - to the border of the range of the species; to the south - to Saur, Altai, Khangai and Kentei.

It is similar in color to the Yenisei birds, but in general darker and brighter. The streaks are more black, numerous, forming more or less regular rows. The sizes are large: the wing length of males is 452-468 mm (average 458), females 480-503 (average 493). From the valley of the Lower Tunguska and the upper reaches of the Vilyui in the east to the upper reaches of the Kolyma and the Sea of ​​Okhotsk; to the north - to the borders of the range of the species; to the south - to the Uda Bay and Stanovoy Ridge.

The general tone of the upperparts is grayish, the dark spots are small and blurred, so that the light areas on the dorsal side are practically not noticeable. The dark longitudinal pattern usually does not extend to the abdomen. The wing length of males is 430-465 mm (average 448), females 470-502 (average 483). From Transbaikalia to the east to the ocean coast and from the lower reaches of the Amur and the Stanovoy Range to the state border.

Very close to the Ussuri race, but the overall coloration is even darker, brownish. Wing length of males 465 mm, females 470. Sakhalin. Perhaps this subspecies inhabits the Kuril Islands north to Urup.

Note. Subspecies diagnostics of this race was made on insignificant material. The differences between Sakhalin birds and seaside birds are insignificant and unstable. And only insular confinement to some extent indicates the reality of the subspecies.

The color is faded, dark streaks are pale, as if crushed, they are practically absent on the stomach. The sizes are average: the wing length of males is 420-468 mm (average 443), females 470-492 (average 482). From the Lower Volga to the east to Semipalatinsk, Zaisan and the upper reaches of the Irtysh. To the north - to the middle reaches of the Ural River. To the south - to Ustyurt, the lower reaches of the Syr Darya and Balkhash.

The coloration is typically “desert”, the ocher-yellow tones are faded, dark patterns on the feathers are barely visible. The streaks are narrow, pale, practically do not extend to the stomach. One of the small eagle owls of the domestic fauna: the wing length of males is 402-424 mm (average 415), females 425-460 (average 445). From the big Balkhan and the lower reaches of the Atrek to the east to Gurkhandarya and Karfirnigan; to the north presumably to Ustyurt, Amu Darya and Zeravshan. To the south - to the state borders.

Note. In the outlined area, birds living on the coast of the Caspian Sea, as supposedly darker and differing in behavior, are supposed to be distinguished into a special subspecies - B. b. Gladkovi (Zaletaev, 1962)

It is similar in color to Kazakh birds, dark spotting is poorly developed, general pallor of tones, etc. However, a dark longitudinal pattern on the underside of the body extends to the front of the abdomen. Noticeably larger than the Turkmen owl: the wing length of males is 443-466 mm (average 451), females 473-508 (average 486). Southern Balkhash region, Dzungarian Alatau, Chu basin, Ala-tau Ridge, Tien Shan, Alai system. Western Pamir, Kyzylkum to the west to the Aral Sea; in the northern regions, these mountain birds, settling in the deserts, mix with the Turkmen ones.

The use of owls in hunting

The eagle owl can be used as a bird of prey, takes a rabbit and even a hare, because of its silent flight it can hunt birds from an ambush or around a corner, but it is extremely difficult to train. The hunting owl is a rarity, including because of the extremely dangerous bird attacks on the owner with improper upbringing or maintenance, as well as in the current.

Practiced hunting with an eagle owl "for a decoy." On the hatred fed by all birds in general for owls, hunting with an owl is based, mainly on birds of prey (falcons, hawks, crows, etc.), during their spring and autumn migration. For this hunt, a hut is made in a suitable place (or a dugout dug out in the ground with combat windows and a roof lined with turf). Stuffed owls and eagles are also installed at 25-30 steps from the hut; sometimes mechanical owls are used, which, when pulled by a rope, flap their wings and turn their heads.

Notes

Literature

• N. Turkin, “Zap. and reference the book of a hunter and a fisherman” (M., 1894, p. 21);
• V. Khlyudzinsky, "Hunting with an owl" ("Journal of hunting", 1871, No. 26);
• A. Engelmeyer, "Hunting with F." ("Nature and hunting", 1885, V);
• M. Lippe, "Hunting for birds of prey with F." (“Hunting Newspaper”, 1891, No. 43).

Links

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.

This article will focus on the largest owl living throughout the former USSR - owl. Today, the eagle owl is under the threat of complete extinction, so it is inscribed on the pages of the Red Book of Animals of Russia.

The eagle owl is a very beautiful owl whose life has not yet been fully explored, therefore, this bird is very mysterious to us. Meanwhile, there are very few of them left, only a few thousand for the entire territory of the CIS.

The eagle owl is often referred to as a harmful animal, which reduces the number of hunting resources. These ideas are easily refuted by the fact that owls do not eat so much - their daily diet is no more than half a kilogram of meat. But at the same time, we can say with confidence about its benefits for Agriculture as he eats in in large numbers pest rodents.

The eagle owl lives almost throughout the entire territory of the Russian Federation, in dark forests of any type - both mixed and coniferous. The main thing is that these forests are located away from humans. It can be found in the taiga, as well as in the forest-tundra, in the steppes and deserts. It easily adapts both to northern frosts and to the climate of hot deserts.

This is the biggest owl. The body length of males is from half a meter to 70 cm, weighing from 1.5 to 3 kg. The females are somewhat larger. The wingspan of the eagle owl reaches 1.5 meters or more. The color of the plumage depends on the area in which he lives. It is very difficult to notice it both during the day and at night, its color seems to “merge” the silhouette of a bird with a tree trunk. And disguise is very important to him, because during the day he becomes defenseless, and he can get bored with crows, magpies and other birds, circling around him and screaming. This bird has very developed paws and claws with which it grabs prey. The claws are very curved and sharp like a knife. The eagle owl deeply digs them into the body of the victim, touching the main organs, and the prey loses its ability to resist.

A few words must be said about the flight of the owl. It flies silently. It is almost inaudible how its massive wings cut the air when flying. The smooth and smooth flight of the eagle owl, attentive listening and looking out for its prey make one admire this bird. He will make a few flaps of his wings, and then parry in the wind for a while, as if resting.

Vole mice, other small rodents, hares, hare and white hare, and squirrels become its prey. He also attacks black grouse (grouse, hazel grouse, black grouse, etc.), geese, ducks, gulls ... An eagle owl can hunt birds in flight. It can overtake in the air even the fastest bird that lives in our area. With a lack of food, the eagle owl attacks larger and more dangerous animals. He can attack both marten and ferret. True, he does not always cope with them, so sometimes he gets severely injured. There are known cases of an owl attacking a fox, which died from its claws. This large predator can also attack larger prey - musk deer or roe deer. If he cannot eat everything, then he hides the rest in a secluded place.

This flying predator is not averse to feasting on bats, as well as its closest relatives - common owls.

The eagle owl leads a sedentary life, flying to other places only because of the lack of food. And basically lives in the same area of ​​\u200b\u200bhabitat all his long life.

The mating season of eagle owls begins in early spring. After mating, the female builds a nest for herself. It should be noted that the same pair from year to year nests in the same place. The nest is located on the ground and is an ordinary hole of small depth, without any litter. Sometimes eagle owls can nest on a tree, occupying a ready-made nest of other birds that is suitable in size. The female brings no more than 4 eggs. Eggs almost the size of chickens white color. The female incubates them for a little over a month, after which chicks weighing 50-70 grams are born. Both parents feed the chicks. In the first month, owls are afraid to leave the nest, but in the second month of life they can move away from it by 100-150 meters. After 3 months, they can fly like adults, but for the time being they continue to depend on their parents, who still feed them.

Neither wolves nor other predators try to approach the nest of eagle owls, as the parents bravely protect their owls by attacking uninvited guests.

Eagle owls are dusky or nocturnal birds with a reddish-brown variegated color and with "ears" on the sides of the head. The genus of the owl order of owls includes 19 species. These birds live in forests, steppes, deserts and mountains of Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Eagle owls have excellent eyesight and hearing. And turning the head in each direction up to 270 degrees allows the birds to survey the surroundings without making body movements.

• Eagle owls have red or buff plumage. Rainbow yellow.
• The body length of adults is from 60 to 70 cm.
• The weight is approximately 3 kg.
• The wingspan of a bird is from 150 to 180 cm.

The flight of the eagle owl is silent, which is important during night hunting, when everyone in the forest is asleep. The vision is very sharp. The ability of the eagle owl to turn its head is also famous: they can turn it up to 270 degrees, making almost a complete turn of the head around the neck. All these features make the bird an unsurpassed night hunter.

What does it eat

The prey of the eagle owl is various vertebrates, small mammals and birds. In general, the choice of food for birds is very wide. At the same time, the eagle owl easily switches from one food to another, choosing the most common animal species in a particular territory. So, in Europe, the diet of the eagle owl includes a gray rat, an ordinary and water vole, hedgehogs and wild rabbits. Sometimes the predator also catches fish, amphibians, reptiles and insects.

Feeding in captivity

In captivity, an adult eagle owl eats about 200-300 g of meat per day in summer and from 300 to 400 g in winter. Young birds eat more.

Hunting Features

The eagle owl is a night hunter, during daylight hours it flies out for prey only in winter or in bad weather. Hunting is carried out in open areas or forest edges. During the hunt, the bird flies low over the surface of the earth or water for a short time, alternating fluttering flight with rest, during which it looks out for victims. Noticing the prey, the eagle owl quickly rushes to it and plunges its claws into it. Bird attacks in the air. Dives for fish. It swallows small prey whole, and divides larger prey into pieces.

Where does it live

The eagle owl is distributed throughout Eurasia, from the western borders to Sakhalin, the southern Kuril Islands and the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk. In this region, the bird does not nest in the forest-tundra, tundra, as well as on the Hindustan and Indochina peninsulas, in Britain, Ireland and on the islands of the Mediterranean Sea. In North Africa, eagle owls live in the south of the region.

In general, the eagle owl lives in various landscapes from taiga to deserts, but the bird needs secluded places for rest and breeding, for example, rocky slopes overgrown with forests, placers of stones, hilly terrain with ravines. In addition, eagle owls nest in swamps, in river valleys, in light forests, clearings, burnt areas and forest dumps. It does not live in continuous forests, but on the outskirts and edges, in groves next to open spaces, eagle owls are frequent guests. Eagle owls are often found in the mountains at altitudes up to 4700 m above sea level. An important factor determining the habitat of a bird is the availability of a food base.

Eagle owls are not afraid of people, but usually live far from settlements and roads. Only occasionally you can meet this nocturnal predator on farms or in the park area of ​​large cities.

Common types

A large bird with a body length of 60 to 75 cm, a wingspan of 160 to 190 cm, the weight of males is 2.1-2.7 kg, females - up to 3.2 kg. Males have straighter ears than females. The build is stocky, barrel-shaped. The plumage is soft and loose, variegated. The color is dominated by red and ocher color. The head, back and shoulders are covered with black longitudinal streaks. The lower part of the body is decorated with drop-shaped spots on the chest and a thin transverse stripe on the abdomen. The tarsus and fingers are feathered.

The species is distributed in Eurasia and North Africa.

The body length of the bird is from 46 to 64 cm, the wingspan is 91-152 cm. Weight is from 900 to 1800 g. Females are larger than males. The plumage is from reddish-brown to gray, black or white, depending on the habitat. The inhabitants of the tundra and desert are lighter, and the forest virgin eagle owls are darker. The underside of the body is light with dark stains and white stripes. Feather "ears" are located on the head. The iris is orange-yellow. Young birds look like adults.

The species breeds in North and South America. Leads a sedentary lifestyle.

The body length of this species is up to 45 cm, the feather "ears" are pointed, less pronounced than in other species. The color of the plumage is from pale brown to gray. Narrow longitudinal stripes and dark spots are noticeable on the breast. The iris is yellow, with a black border around the facial disc. The mass of adults is up to 800 g.

The habitat includes Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina.

Body length from 50 to 56 cm, wing length for males 36-39 cm, for females 37-42 cm, weight about 1 kg. The plumage is light, yellow-brown, with black spots. Chest with dark longitudinal stripes. The iris is orange-red.

The bird is distributed in the Indian subcontinent to the Himalayas (Pakistan, India, Nepal, Burma).

The size of an adult bird is from 46 to 50 cm, the weight is in the range of 1.9-2.3 kg. Color from pale red to sand, with black spots. There is a narrow dark border around the facial disc. The beak is black. Feather "ears" are small, the iris is yellowish-orange.

The species lives in northwestern Africa, in the Sahara desert and on the Arabian Peninsula.

A large bird with a body length of 46 to 61 cm, and a weight of about 1.8 kg. The plumage is motley, from light, black and dark brown tones, there are feather "ears", the iris is yellow or orange.

The bird is found in Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Namibia.

The body length reaches 45 cm, weight is from 480 to 850 g. The plumage is gray or reddish-brown.

The bird's habitat is Africa south of the Sahara and the Arabian Peninsula.

The plumage of the bird is pale brown or gray, with narrow transverse stripes and dark spots on the breast. Body length up to 43 cm, weight reaches 500 g. The iris is dark brown.

The bird is found in the territory from Senegal and Guinea in the west, to Sudan and Somalia in the east.

The body length of the species is from 39 to 44 cm, weight is from 575 to 815 g. Females are larger than males. The plumage is pale red or cream. From above, the body is darker, with black stripes. There is a wide black rim around the facial disc. On the head there are feather "ears", the iris is dark brown, the beak is bluish-gray.

The species is distributed from Guinea in the west to Angola in the south and Congo in the east.

A rare and endangered species that lives exclusively in the east of Tanzania, in the Uluguru mountain ranges. The body length is from 45 to 48 cm, the iris is dark orange.

The body length of the species is from 51 to 61 cm. The bird lives in the forests of the Himalayas, Indochina and Malaysia. The sound of the voice of the Nepalese eagle owl resembles a human one, for which it is sometimes called the "damn bird".

Body length from 40 to 46 cm, weight about 600 g, reddish-brown plumage, dark brown iris. The belly is light with narrow horizontal stripes. "Feather ears" are long, widely spaced. Females are larger than males.

The species lives in Indonesia, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Burma and the Cocos Islands.

Large bird from 53 to 61 cm in length, and with a weight of about 1.2 kg. The plumage is dark brown, the breast is light with transverse dark stripes. The iris is dark brown.

The species is found in the tropical forests of West and Central Africa, in Guinea, Liberia, Ghana, Cameroon and Gabon.

Body length from 53 to 61 cm. The head is round. The plumage is red-brown.

African bird. Leads a sedentary lifestyle.

The body length of the species is from 48 to 53 cm, the color is pale brown or gray, the iris is orange. Feather "ears" are large, set close.

The bird nests from Pakistan through India to Bangladesh and Burma, as well as in China and the Malay Peninsula.

Lives in Western and Central Africa. The body length of the bird is from 40 to 46 cm, the feather "ears" are large, the iris is yellow.

The species is endemic to the Philippines. The body length of the bird is from 40 to 50 cm, the wing length is 35 cm. The plumage on the back is reddish, the belly is light, the iris is yellow.

A large bird with a body length of about 70 cm, a wingspan of 180 to 190 cm. The female is much larger than the male, her weight is about 4 kg. Feather "ears" are wide. The wings are long, the tail is rounded. The plumage is brownish with dark longitudinal spots, a white spot is located on the throat. Also, white spots are placed on the top and back of the head. The tarsus is feathered to the toes.

The species lives in Manchuria, Korea, on the island of Hokkaido, in the Far East from Magadan to the Amur Region and Primorye, on Sakhalin and the South Kuriles.

Male and female: main differences

All species of eagle owl are characterized by such a sign of sexual dimorphism as the larger size of females compared to males.

reproduction

Eagle owls are monogamous birds, very attached to their habitat. In October, the young male begins to call the female with a characteristic “hoot” from the tops of tall trees or other elevations. Interestingly, the marriage ritual is repeated every year, even among created couples. Courtship also includes bowing to each other, touching with beaks and feeding.

Nest

The eagle owl does not have a nest as such. The bird lays eggs in a depression in the ground under spruce branches, between roots and trunks, among stones.

egg laying

Clutch occurs at the end of winter - beginning of spring, and consists of 2-6 eggs of white color, rounded shape. The incubation period lasts from 32 to 35 days. Only the female incubates the eggs, and the male provides her with food.

chicks

Chicks are born at intervals of several days, blind and helpless, covered with thick whitish-buffy down. On the 4th day, the eyes of the owls open, and on the third week the first motley feather outfit appears. All this time, the female is next to the offspring, feeds and protects the owlets. Younger chicks often starve to death due to competition with older ones.

Owlets become winged at about 2 months, and a month later they begin to live independently.

Owl voice

The voice of the eagle owl is powerful, it sounds like a low two-syllable hoot, which is heard within a radius of 2 to 4 km. The call is the same in females and males. The most active eagle owls hoot in the wee hours of the mating season. The alarm signal sounds like a quick, energetic laugh of four to five syllables. Eagle owls also emit “crying”, buzzing and mournful cries.

• The eagle owl has no natural enemies, not a single animal preys on adult birds. But foxes and wolves attack the chicks.
• As a result of human chemical treatment of crops, the eagle owl population suffers. Poisons fall on field mice and other rodents that birds feed on.