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Eurasian Eagle Owl

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: Birds

               iEurasian Eagle Owl

                             Conservation status

   Least Concern (LC)
            Scientific classification

   Kingdom: Animalia
   Phylum:  Chordata
   Class:   Aves
   Order:   Strigiformes
   Family:  Strigidae
   Genus:   Bubo
   Species: B. bubo

                                Binomial name

   Bubo bubo
   (Linnaeus, 1758)

   The Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of horned owl resident
   in much of Europe and Asia.

   The Eagle Owl is a very large and powerful bird, similar in size, but
   typically slightly smaller than the Golden Eagle. It is the largest
   species of owl with a wingspan of up to 200 cm. Adults can weigh in
   excess of 4 kg, in comparison the common Barn Owl weighs about 500g. It
   mainly feeds on small mammals but will take prey up to the size of
   foxes and young deer. It will also take many other birds including
   other birds of prey.
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   It is largely nocturnal and is found in mountains and forests with
   cliffs and rocky areas. It usually nests on cliff ledges. They live for
   around 20 years although like many other bird species in captivity they
   can live much longer, perhaps up to 60 years.

   The calls of the Eagle Owl is a deep resonant “ooh-hu” with emphasis on
   the first syllable for the male, and a more high-pitched uh-Hu for the
   female. A recent study has shown that these calls are easily
   individualized. It means that each member of an Eagle Owl population
   can be individually identified by means of its vocalizations ) .

   The size, ear tufts and orange eyes make this a very distinctive
   species. It has a strong direct flight.

   The horned owls are a part of the larger grouping of owls known as the
   typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other
   grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.

   The Eagle Owl is not naturally resident in England, but (ref. a BBC TV
   program) a pair have been breeding for several years in a valley in
   Ministry of Defence land in North Yorkshire. There is some debate as to
   whether these birds are escapees or whether they have arrived naturally
   from the continent which would only be a relatively short journey. At
   the time the program was made, they had reared 20 young to
   independence, and they had 3 young in the nest. Nothing was known of
   what happened to those 20 young, except that one of them electrocuted
   itself on power lines in Shropshire.

   The difference between the male and female is very recognisable as the
   male's ear tufts are more upright than the female's, while hers are
   usually drooping down.

   The Eagle Owl's scientific name comes from its deep booming call. The
   word "bubo," based on the call, has referred to owls, particularly the
   Eagle Owl, since the dark ages, and is mentioned in Middle English
   bestiaries.
   In winter.
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   In winter.

   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurasian_Eagle_Owl"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
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