| Eurasian Eagle-Owl | |
|---|---|
 A Eurasian Eagle-Owl in a wold near Herálec, Czech Republic dated 22 January, 2011 | |
| Information | |
| Range | Europe |
| Scientific Classification | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Strigiformes |
| Family | Strigidae |
| Genus | Bubo |
| Species | Bubo bubo |
| Conservation Status | |
 Least Concern | |
The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of eagle-owl that resides in much of Eurasia. It is also called the Uhu and in Europe, it is commonly abbreviated to the eagle-owl. The word "uhu" comes from an alteration of Early Modern German Huhu which is itself an onomatopoeic reduplication of Hu which is from Middle High German hūwe which is from Old High German hūwo which is descended from Proto-Germanic hūwô which is ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱawā- meaning "a bird, owl, mew".
Description[]
Among the world's largest owls. the Eurasian Eagle-owl sports and impressive wingspan of 5 to 6 feet, a length of 2 to 2.5 feet, and a weight of 3 to 9 pounds. Similar to other species of birds of prey, females are larger than males. Both sexes are mottled buff-brown with dark bars on the chest. The underparts are pale and a black beat breaks the solid grayish-brown of the facial disk. Their ear tufts (plumicorns) are very pronounced and the eyes are a bright orange.
Adaptations[]
Owls have special adaptations as nocturnal hunters. Their large eyes intake as much light as possible in a dark environment, so large that they cannot rotate them in the socket. Instead, owls have 14 vertebrea that allow them to turn their heads up to 270 degrees. The comb-like edges on their flight feathers allow them to fly in near silence and their acute sense of hearing is obtained through asymmetrical ear openings.
Habitat[]
Eurasian Eagle-owls inhabit wooded habitats, especially those with rocky outcrops and cliffs across Europe, Asia, and parts of Northern Africa. They can also be found in suburban settings.
Behavior[]
Eurasian Eagle-owls have a fast and powerful flight with shallow wing beats and long, fast glides. Like most birds of prey, they can also soar in updrafts.
During the day, Eurasian Eagle-owls roost. Outside of breeding season, they are solitary and territorial.
Dietary biology[]
Eurasian Eagle-owls hunt at dawn and dusk for small rodents, birds, reptiles, or even foxes and fawns. They eat their prey whole but cannot digest bones, beaks, feathers, fur, and claws, so they regurgitate them after several hours, thus creating the infamous "owl pellet".
Longevity[]
Apart from humans, Eurasian Eagle-owls have no predators. On the ground, they may occasionally fall prey to foxes.
In the wild, they can live to be around 20 years old but up to 60 in captivity.
Breeding[]
In the fall, courtship begins, involving the male creating a nest, a shallow depression on the ground, and calling to attract females. Nests are usually located in rock crevices on cliffs but will sometimes be abandoned nests of other large birds or on the ground.
The female lays four white eggs with three-day intervals in between, then incubates them for 34-36 days. Males provide food for her and the owlets after they hatch.
Owlets are white, downy, and blind at birth but open their eyes after a few days. By three weeks old, they can already feed themselves. Sometimes, older nestlings will help themselves to a serving of younger nestlings. Four weeks later, the owlets fledge. They will remain in their parent's territory for another 3 to 4 months before finding their own territory.
By 2 to 3 years of age, Eurasian Eagle-owls reach sexual maturity.
Vocalizations[]
Each individual gives a highly-variable, deep, and resonate "ooh-uh" or "uh-hu" sound. Female calls are higher pitched than male calls.
Status[]
Eurasian Eagle-owls are listed as species of least concern by the IUCN. Their population is an estimated 19,000-38,000 pairs in 2004 in Europe. Despite stability on a general scale, there has been declines in local populations and regional extinctions. Their population density is especially low as habitat loss has taken a toll on the species. Poisoning via agricultural pesticides, death via road traffic, and barbed wire are contributing to the problem.
Eagle-owls have also been kept in the pet trade. In 1977, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) has protected this species from international trade. Legal protection in parts of Europe has helped this species recover alongside captive breeding and reintroduction programs.
Citations[]
Eurasian Eagle Owl - San Francisco Zoo & Gardens, www.sfzoo.org/eurasian-eagle-owl/. Accessed 29
- Oct. 2023.
“Eurasian Eagle-Owl.” Eurasian Eagle-Owl | The Peregrine Fund, www.peregrinefund.org/explore-raptors-
- species/owls/eurasian-eagle-owl. Accessed 29 Oct. 2023.