Ural owl (Strix uralensis)

Here’s a full natural history overview of the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis), a powerful forest owl of Europe and Asia:


Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)

Taxonomy & Classification

  • Kingdom: Animalia
  • Phylum: Chordata
  • Class: Aves
  • Order: Strigiformes
  • Family: Strigidae (Typical owls)
  • Genus: Strix
  • Species: S. uralensis
  • Common names: Ural Owl

General Description

  • Size: 50–62 cm long; wingspan 110–134 cm.
  • Weight: 500–1,300 g (females larger than males).
  • Appearance:
    • Large, round head with no ear tufts.
    • Pale face with darker concentric rings around dark eyes.
    • Long tail (relatively longer than most owls, giving a hawk-like impression).
    • Plumage gray-brown to whitish with streaking, varying across subspecies.
  • Distinctive features: Combination of size, pale face, and long tail distinguishes it from similar owls.

Behavior & Lifestyle

  • Activity: Mostly nocturnal, but may also hunt at dawn, dusk, and even by day in winter.
  • Flight: Silent, buoyant, and powerful; capable of maneuvering through dense forests.
  • Territoriality: Strongly territorial, especially during breeding—adults will fiercely attack intruders, including humans, near nests.
  • Vocalizations:
    • Deep, resonant territorial call: a series of hoots.
    • Alarm and contact calls include harsh barks and screeches.
See also  Yellowhammer (Emberiza citrinella)

Diet

  • Primary food: Small mammals—voles, mice, shrews, and squirrels.
  • Birds: Occasionally takes small to medium-sized birds.
  • Other prey: Frogs, insects, and occasionally fish.
  • Hunting strategy: Perches on branches or glides low to the ground, using acute vision and hearing to locate prey.

Life Cycle & Breeding

  • Breeding season: March–June (earlier in southern parts of range).
  • Nesting sites:
    • Old tree cavities, broken tree trunks, or large stick nests built by other raptors.
    • Will also use nest boxes in managed forests.
  • Clutch size: 2–6 eggs (typically 3–4).
  • Incubation: 27–34 days, mainly by the female.
  • Fledging: Chicks leave the nest at 4–5 weeks but remain dependent on parents for several weeks.
  • Parental behavior: Female broods while male provides food; both defend chicks aggressively.
See also  Northern Hawk-owl (Surnia ulula)

Habitat

  • Prefers mature mixed or coniferous forests with clearings, bogs, or meadows nearby.
  • Often associated with boreal forests, montane woodlands, and riparian areas.
  • Requires large, undisturbed tracts of forest for breeding.

Geographic Range

  • Found across northern and eastern Europe (Scandinavia, Baltic states, Poland, Balkans) through Russia and Siberia into Japan.
  • In central Europe, populations are patchier and often restricted to mountain forests (e.g., the Alps, Carpathians, and Balkans).

Ecological Role

  • Predator: Helps regulate rodent populations, especially voles.
  • Prey: Eggs, chicks, and sometimes adults taken by larger raptors (eagles, goshawks).
  • Indicator species: Presence signals healthy, old-growth forests.

Conservation Status

  • IUCN Red List: Least Concern.
  • Population trends: Stable or increasing in some areas due to nest box programs.
  • Threats:
    • Logging of mature forests reduces nesting opportunities.
    • Human disturbance during breeding can lower success.
  • Conservation measures: Protection of old-growth forests, installation of nest boxes, and legal protections in many countries.
See also  Oriental garden lizard (Calotes vesicolor)

Interesting Facts

  • Known as one of the most aggressive owls when defending its nest—attacks on researchers are well-documented.
  • In Finland and Sweden, the Ural Owl is often used in nest box conservation programs to help sustain populations.
  • Unlike many owls, it frequently hunts during daylight, especially when feeding chicks.
  • Plays an important role in folk culture and symbolism across northern Europe.

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