Here’s a detailed and comprehensive overview of the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis), a powerful and graceful nocturnal hunter of European and Asian forests:

🦉 **Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)**

Common Names

Ural Owl
European Ural Owl
Finnish: Viirupöllö
German: Habichtskauz
Estonian: Habekakk

Taxonomy & Classification

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae (True owls)
Genus: Strix
Species: S. uralensis

Scientific name meaning:
“Strix” means “owl” in Latin, while “uralensis” refers to the Ural Mountains, one of its main strongholds.

Description & Identification

Size:
- Length: 50–62 cm
- Wingspan: 110–134 cm
- Weight: 500–1300 g (females larger than males)
Plumage:
- Overall pale grey to brownish-grey with fine dark streaks.
- Facial disc: Large and round, pale grey-white with darker concentric lines.
- Eyes: Dark brown (unlike the yellow eyes of many other owls).
- Beak: Yellowish.
Tail: Long and rounded — one of its most distinctive features among European owls.
Sexual dimorphism: Females are notably larger and heavier than males.

Distribution

Found across a vast area of Northern Europe and Asia:
- Europe: Scandinavia, Finland, the Baltic States, Poland, Czechia, Austria, the Carpathians, and parts of the Balkans.
- Asia: Ural Mountains, Siberia, Mongolia, northern China, and Japan (Hokkaido).
Isolated populations occur in the Alps and Central Europe, due to conservation reintroductions.

Habitat

Prefers mature mixed or coniferous forests with open clearings, meadows, or bogs for hunting.
Often associated with spruce, pine, and birch forests.
Requires old trees or large cavities for nesting; may also occupy abandoned raptor or crow nests.
Avoids dense urban areas but tolerates semi-rural landscapes.

Behavior

Activity: Mostly nocturnal, though also hunts during twilight and even daylight in northern latitudes.
Flight: Silent, buoyant, and gliding — typical of large owls.
Territorial: Pairs maintain territories year-round and can be highly aggressive during nesting season.
Vocalization:
- Deep, rhythmic hoots, described as “hoo-hoo-hoo-hooo” or “who-who-whoooo”.
- Females have a higher-pitched call; both sexes call in duet during breeding season.
Longevity: Can live up to 20 years in the wild, occasionally longer in captivity.

Diet & Hunting

Diet: Carnivorous, primarily feeding on small mammals, especially voles and mice.
Also preys on:
- Birds (e.g. thrushes, woodpeckers)
- Frogs, insects, and occasionally squirrels.
Hunting method:
- Perches silently on a branch, using excellent hearing and night vision to detect prey.
- Dives swiftly and silently to seize prey with powerful talons.

Reproduction

Breeding season: March–May (earlier in southern range).
Nesting:
- Uses tree cavities, old nests of buzzards, ravens, or black storks, and sometimes nest boxes.
- Lays 2–6 white eggs directly on the substrate, without adding nest material.
Incubation: About 27–34 days, by the female; male provides food.
Chicks:
- Hatch covered in white down.
- Fledge after 5–6 weeks but depend on parents for several more weeks.
Aggression: Adults fiercely defend nests; many researchers report attacks when approaching nests.

Predators & Threats

Natural predators: Rare — occasionally Eagle Owls (Bubo bubo) or Northern Goshawks (Accipiter gentilis).
Human-related threats:
- Habitat loss (logging of old forests).
- Vehicle collisions.
- Shooting or disturbance near nesting sites.
Competitors:
- Tengmalm’s Owl (Aegolius funereus) and Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), which may compete for nest sites.

Conservation Status

IUCN Red List: 🟢 Least Concern (LC)
Population trend: Stable or increasing in parts of Europe, declining locally where old-growth forests disappear.
Protection:
- Protected by national and EU laws (Annex I of the EU Birds Directive).
- Nest boxes and reintroduction projects (e.g., in Austria, Germany, and the Czech Republic) have aided recovery.

Interesting Facts

The Ural Owl’s range extends from Scandinavia to Japan, making it one of the widest-ranging Strix species.
It is one of the few owls that may attack humans during breeding season — usually when people come too close to the nest.
Plays a key role in rodent population control in boreal ecosystems.
The dark eyes are unique among large European owls (most, like the Tawny or Great Grey Owl, have yellow eyes).
In Finnish folklore, the Ural Owl was once considered an omen of wisdom or warning.