The Eurasia Eagle Owl |
Flaying Animal | The Eurasia Eagle Owl | The upperparts are brown-black and tawny-buff, showing as dense freckling on the forehead and crown, stripes on the nape, sides and back of the neck, and dark splotches on the pale ground colour of the back, mantle and scapulars. A narrow buff band, freckled with brown buff, runs up from the base of the bill, above the inner part of the eye and along the inner edge of the black-brown, "ear-tufts". The Eagle Owl has a wingspan of 138–200 cm (55–79 in) and measures 58–75 cm (23–30 in) long. Females weigh 1.75-4.5 kg (3.9-10 lbs) and males weigh 1.5-3.2 kg (3.3-7 lbs).
Like the Great Horned Owl, it also has ear tufts. These are neither tufts nor horns, but feathers that the owl is able to control. It could be guessed that it is the owl’s mechanism for making it appear more menacing and also to break up the outline of the head for camouflaging purposes.
The Eurasia Eagle Owl |
Habitat and natural range:
The Eurasian Eagle Owl is an old world owl found in all parts of Europe and the Middle east as well as on the African continent. It is a very hardy owl able to breed in the arid Sahara and Arabian deserts, the jungles of equatorial Africa, as well as in the northern reaches of Siberia. When possible the Eagle Owl prefers to nest near woodlands, with level land and tree lined waterways.
The Eurasia Eagle Owl |
The Eurasia Eagle Owl |
Breeding:
The Male and Female duet during courtship, the Male advertising potential breeding sites by scratching a shallow depression at the site and emitting staccato notes and clucking sounds. Favoured nest sites are sheltered cliff ledges, crevices between rocks and cave entrances in cliffs. They will also use abandoned nests of other large birds. If no such sites are available, they may nest on the ground between rocks, under fallen trunks, under a bush, or even at the base of a tree trunk. No nesting material is added. Often several potential depressions are offered to the female, who selects one; this is quite often used again in subsequent years. Very often pairs for life. They are territorial, but territories of neighbouring pairs may partly overlap.
This bird is often referred to as the largest of the owl. This owl is very strong, and capable of killing the largest eagle, there are few cases of those who attack and kill the golden eagle which is almost mature.
The Eurasia Eagle Owl |
The Eurasia Eagle Owl |