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Difference between revisions of "Eurasian Eagle-Owl" - BirdForum Opus

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'''Alternative name: Great Eagle-Owl'''
 
'''Alternative name: Great Eagle-Owl'''
[[Image:Eurasian_Eagle_Owl.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|John+Keep|John Keep}} <br />Location: [[Bulgaria]]]]
+
[[Image:Eurasian_Eagle_Owl.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|John+Keep|John Keep}} <br />Cape Kaliakra, [[Bulgaria]], May 2003]]
 
;[[:Category:Bubo|Bubo]] bubo
 
;[[:Category:Bubo|Bubo]] bubo
 
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Largest European Owl at 65-70cm (similar in size to [[Common Buzzard]]). <br />
+
Largest European Owl at 65-70cm (a little larger than [[Common Buzzard]]). <br />
Tawny-brown upperparts, with dark mottling. Blackish streaks on buff underparts. Large, orange fierce-looking eyes appear to 'shine' in the dark facial disc. Prominent wide ear tufts. Bright patch on outer wing visible in flight.
+
'''Adults''': brown upperparts with blark markings including both streaks and bars in a somewhat irregular pattern. Underparts are clearly paler than upperparts, but have black streaks mainly on breast while belly has pattern of black feather shafts and cross-bars. Large, orange eyes appear in a facial disk that is greyish-brown to buff, bordered dark but with somewhat inconspicuous border. [[Dictionary_D-F#E|Eye-bows]] are pale stretching from above the eye to below the eye and running between the eye and the bill. The overall effect can be quite fierce-looking. Prominent wide ear tufts varying between pointed sideways or up and only disappearing in flight. Bill and claws black. Legs are fully feathered. Bright patch on outer wing visible in flight.
 +
====Variation====
 +
Basic color differs quite a lot through the huge range, from tawny to blackish to buff on upperside and to almost whitish or greyish-brown on underside. The extent of dark streaks on both upperside and underside is also variable.
 +
[[Image:4578IMG 3109.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|rony_roshtov|rony_roshtov}}<br />West Negev, [[Israel]], December 2005]]
 +
====Similar Species====
 +
[[Pharaoh Eagle-Owl]] is smaller and paler than even the nearest populations of [[Eurasian Eagle Owl]]; there is an overlap in range in the middle east (subspecies ''interpositus''). Also check especially [[Long-eared Owl]] among smaller species.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
Resident in a large part of [[Europe]] from [[Scandinavia]] to [[Italy]], south of [[France]] to [[Spain]] and [[Portugal]].
+
[[Europe]] through much of [[Asia]]<br />
 
+
'''Europe''': resident from [[Scandinavia]] to the [[Balkans]], [[Austria]], [[Switzerland]], [[Italy]], south of [[France]], [[Spain]], and [[Portugal]]. Spot-wise distribution in the rest of Europe, partly from released or escaped individuals including in [[Belgium]], the [[British Isles]], [[Germany]], and [[Denmark]]. Vagrant individuals do occur outside of breeding range. <br />
Has '''bred''' in [[Belgium]] and there has been a breeding pair in the [[British Isles]] at [[Lancashire]]. Otherwise '''vagrant''' to the [[UK]], [[Denmark]], and the [[Netherlands]].
+
'''North [[Africa]]''': probably extinct from its former range in [[Morocco]] and [[Algeria]]. <br />
 +
'''Asia''': absent from the northern areas lacking forest but other wise to north-east Asia, to southern [[China]], northern [[India]], the [[Himalayas]] and the [[Middle East]]. Local in northernmost [[Japan]].
 +
[[Image:Elder Sibling IMG 0103.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Fledgling<br />Photo by {{user|Robert+L+Jarvis|Robert L Jarvis}}<br />Dunsop Valley, [[Lancashire]], May 2007]]
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
 +
====Subspecies====
 +
There are at least 16 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
 +
*''B. b. hispanus'': Iberian Peninsula; formerly Atlas Mountains of northern [[Africa]] (extinct from north Africa?)
 +
*''B. b. bubo'': [[Scandinavia]] and [[Spain]] through western [[Europe]] to western [[Russia]]
 +
*''B. b. ruthenus'': Central European [[Russia]] to Ural Mountains and lower Volga basin
 +
*''B. b. interpositus'': [[Turkey]] and north-western [[Iran]] to southern [[Ukraine]], [[Romania]] and [[Bulgaria]]
 +
*''B. b. sibiricus'': Western foothills of Ural Mountains to Ob River and western Altai
 +
*''B. b. yenisseensis'': Central [[Siberia]] to northern [[Mongolia]]
 +
*''B. b. turcomanus'': central Asia between the lower Volga River and the Ural River, east to Transbaikalia, and south to [[Kazakhstan]] and western [[Mongolia]]
 +
*''B. b. tarimensis'': extreme northwestern [[China]] (Tarim Basin in western Xinjiang)
 +
*''B. b. omissus'': [[Turkmenistan]] to extreme western [[China]]
 +
*''B. b. hemachalanus'': Pamir Mountains and the northern Tien Shan south to the [[Himalayas]]
 +
*''B. b. tibetanus'': central and eastern [[Tibet]] and adjacent regions of southern [[China]]
 +
*''B. b. nikolskii'': Eastern [[Iraq]] to [[Iran]], [[Afghanistan]] and western [[Pakistan]]
 +
*''B. b. jakutensis'': North-eastern [[Siberia]] (Lena River to Sea of Okhotsk)
 +
*''B. b. ussuriensis'': South-eastern [[Siberia]] to north-eastern [[China]]
 +
*''B. b. borissowi'': Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands (south from Urup), and northern [[Japan]] (northern Hokkaido)
 +
*''B. b. kiautschensis'': central and southern [[China]] (south to Yunnan and Guangdong) and east to [[Korea]]
 +
Subspecies ''B. b. interpositus'' has been proposed for elevation to status as full species<sup>[[#References|[4]]]</sup>.
 +
[[Image:Eagle Owl Ramat Sirin Israel.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo by {{user|lior+kislev|lior kislev}}<br />Ramat Sirin, [[Israel]], May 2010]]
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
 +
Mountains and forests with cliffs and rocky areas.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 
====Flight====
 
====Flight====
Fast and powerful.
+
Fast and powerful flight.
 
====Diet====
 
====Diet====
Hunts large prey like [[Western Capercaillie|Capercaillie]] and [[Hare]].
+
It hunts a large variety of prey including mammals from voles and  rats to hares, bird or varying sizes up to herons, buzzard and  [[Western Capercaillie|Capercaillie]], reptiles, and even larger insects and earthworms. Often will prey on smaller owls occurring in the area.  
 
====Vocalisation====
 
====Vocalisation====
<flashmp3>Bubo bubo (song).mp3</flashmp3><br />
+
{{ Audio|Bubo bubo (song).mp3 }}
''[[Media:Bubo bubo (song).mp3|Listen in an external program]]''
+
 
 
==References==
 
==References==
#Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
+
#{{Ref-Clements6thAug21}}#{{Ref-KoenigWeick08}}#Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
#Collins Field Guide 5th Edition
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#{{Ref-Collins5th93}}#Wikipedia
 +
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Bubo_bubo}}  
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{{GSearch|"Eurasian Eagle-Owl"}}  
 +
<!--- Comment to editors: At this time the common name finds about two pages and is much more specific than "Bubo bubo" which currently finds all members of that genus --->
 +
{{GS-checked}}<br /><br />
  
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Bubo]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]
 
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Bubo]] [[Category:Bird Songs]]

Latest revision as of 21:05, 23 January 2022

Alternative name: Great Eagle-Owl

Photo by John Keep
Cape Kaliakra, Bulgaria, May 2003
Bubo bubo

Identification

Largest European Owl at 65-70cm (a little larger than Common Buzzard).
Adults: brown upperparts with blark markings including both streaks and bars in a somewhat irregular pattern. Underparts are clearly paler than upperparts, but have black streaks mainly on breast while belly has pattern of black feather shafts and cross-bars. Large, orange eyes appear in a facial disk that is greyish-brown to buff, bordered dark but with somewhat inconspicuous border. Eye-bows are pale stretching from above the eye to below the eye and running between the eye and the bill. The overall effect can be quite fierce-looking. Prominent wide ear tufts varying between pointed sideways or up and only disappearing in flight. Bill and claws black. Legs are fully feathered. Bright patch on outer wing visible in flight.

Variation

Basic color differs quite a lot through the huge range, from tawny to blackish to buff on upperside and to almost whitish or greyish-brown on underside. The extent of dark streaks on both upperside and underside is also variable.

Photo by rony_roshtov
West Negev, Israel, December 2005

Similar Species

Pharaoh Eagle-Owl is smaller and paler than even the nearest populations of Eurasian Eagle Owl; there is an overlap in range in the middle east (subspecies interpositus). Also check especially Long-eared Owl among smaller species.

Distribution

Europe through much of Asia
Europe: resident from Scandinavia to the Balkans, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, south of France, Spain, and Portugal. Spot-wise distribution in the rest of Europe, partly from released or escaped individuals including in Belgium, the British Isles, Germany, and Denmark. Vagrant individuals do occur outside of breeding range.
North Africa: probably extinct from its former range in Morocco and Algeria.
Asia: absent from the northern areas lacking forest but other wise to north-east Asia, to southern China, northern India, the Himalayas and the Middle East. Local in northernmost Japan.

Fledgling
Photo by Robert L Jarvis
Dunsop Valley, Lancashire, May 2007

Taxonomy

Subspecies

There are at least 16 subspecies[1]:

  • B. b. hispanus: Iberian Peninsula; formerly Atlas Mountains of northern Africa (extinct from north Africa?)
  • B. b. bubo: Scandinavia and Spain through western Europe to western Russia
  • B. b. ruthenus: Central European Russia to Ural Mountains and lower Volga basin
  • B. b. interpositus: Turkey and north-western Iran to southern Ukraine, Romania and Bulgaria
  • B. b. sibiricus: Western foothills of Ural Mountains to Ob River and western Altai
  • B. b. yenisseensis: Central Siberia to northern Mongolia
  • B. b. turcomanus: central Asia between the lower Volga River and the Ural River, east to Transbaikalia, and south to Kazakhstan and western Mongolia
  • B. b. tarimensis: extreme northwestern China (Tarim Basin in western Xinjiang)
  • B. b. omissus: Turkmenistan to extreme western China
  • B. b. hemachalanus: Pamir Mountains and the northern Tien Shan south to the Himalayas
  • B. b. tibetanus: central and eastern Tibet and adjacent regions of southern China
  • B. b. nikolskii: Eastern Iraq to Iran, Afghanistan and western Pakistan
  • B. b. jakutensis: North-eastern Siberia (Lena River to Sea of Okhotsk)
  • B. b. ussuriensis: South-eastern Siberia to north-eastern China
  • B. b. borissowi: Sakhalin and the southern Kuril Islands (south from Urup), and northern Japan (northern Hokkaido)
  • B. b. kiautschensis: central and southern China (south to Yunnan and Guangdong) and east to Korea

Subspecies B. b. interpositus has been proposed for elevation to status as full species[4].

Photo by lior kislev
Ramat Sirin, Israel, May 2010

Habitat

Mountains and forests with cliffs and rocky areas.

Behaviour

Flight

Fast and powerful flight.

Diet

It hunts a large variety of prey including mammals from voles and rats to hares, bird or varying sizes up to herons, buzzard and Capercaillie, reptiles, and even larger insects and earthworms. Often will prey on smaller owls occurring in the area.

Vocalisation

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. König, C. and F. Weick (2008). Owls of the world, second edition. Christopher Helm, London. ISBN 9780713665482
  3. Birdwatchers Pocket Guide ISBN 1-85732-804-3
  4. Peterson, RT, G Mountfort and PAD Hollom. 1993. Collins Field Guide – Birds of Britain and Europe, 5th Revised edition. London: HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 978-0002199001
  5. Wikipedia

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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