Here’s a detailed, field-guide-style overview of the Ural Owl (Strix uralensis) — one of Europe’s most impressive forest owls. 🦉
🦉 Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)
Scientific name: Strix uralensis Pallas, 1771
Common name: Ural Owl
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Strix
🌍 General Overview
The Ural Owl is a large, pale grey-brown owl of the northern forests of Eurasia.
Named after the Ural Mountains, this species inhabits vast tracts of mature coniferous and mixed woodland, stretching from Scandinavia and Central Europe across Siberia to Japan.
It is known for its rounded head without ear tufts, dark eyes, and deep hooting call that resonates through quiet forests at dusk.
🧬 Identification
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Length | 50–62 cm |
| Wingspan | 110–134 cm |
| Weight | 500–1300 g (females larger) |
| Plumage | Pale grey-brown with fine streaks; underparts lighter with darker longitudinal lines |
| Head | Round, no ear tufts; large dark-brown eyes; pale facial disk outlined with a fine darker ring |
| Tail | Long, rounded — a key field mark, longer than in Tawny Owl |
| Bill | Yellow |
| Sexes | Similar; females noticeably larger |
The long tail, pale plumage, and dark eyes distinguish it from Tawny Owl (Strix aluco).
🏞️ Habitat
- Prefers old-growth boreal and montane forests with open glades or clearings.
- Also found in mixed deciduous woodland, valley forests, and occasionally in rural parks or orchards.
- Requires large hollow trees or nest boxes for breeding.
🐣 Breeding Biology
| Stage | Details |
|---|---|
| Breeding season | March–June |
| Nesting sites | Old tree cavities, large stick nests of other birds, cliffs, or nest boxes |
| Clutch size | 2–6 white eggs |
| Incubation | ~28–33 days, by female only |
| Fledging | Young leave the nest after ~4–5 weeks but remain dependent for another month |
| Behavior | Adults aggressively defend nests; attacks on intruders (including humans) are well known |
🐭 Diet and Hunting
- Main prey: Small mammals — voles, mice, shrews
- Occasionally: small birds, amphibians, insects
- Hunts from a perch at dusk or night, using silent flight and excellent hearing
🎵 Voice
The male’s call is a deep, resonant hoot:
“Who-hoo… who-hoo-hoo-hoo”
Females respond with shorter, harsher versions.
Calls carry far through the forest, especially during breeding season.
🌍 Distribution
- Europe: Scandinavia, Finland, Baltic States, Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Austria, the Alps, Balkans
- Asia: Siberia to Korea and Japan
- Altitude: Sea level to 1,800 m in mountains
Populations in Europe are generally resident, though northern birds may move southward in harsh winters.
⚖️ Conservation Status
| Region | Status |
|---|---|
| Global (IUCN) | Least Concern |
| Europe | Widespread and stable, with local declines from logging |
| Threats | Habitat loss, felling of old trees, loss of nesting sites |
| Conservation measures | Nest-box programs, forest protection, old-tree retention |
🪶 Behavior and Ecology
- Territorial: pairs occupy large year-round territories.
- Lifespan: up to 20 years in the wild.
- Activity: mostly nocturnal, but can hunt at dawn and dusk.
- Temperament: calm outside the breeding season, but highly aggressive near nests.
📊 Quick Facts
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific name | Strix uralensis |
| Common name | Ural Owl |
| Family | Strigidae |
| Length | 50–62 cm |
| Wingspan | 110–134 cm |
| Habitat | Mature forests, wooded valleys |
| Diet | Small mammals, birds |
| Range | N. & Central Europe to E. Asia |
| Conservation | Least Concern (stable) |
🌲 Interesting Notes
- In northern folklore, the Ural Owl is seen as a guardian of deep forests.
- Its deep, even hooting is often one of the first signs of spring in boreal woodlands.
- In Estonia and Finland, Strix uralensis is a flagship species for natural forest conservation, symbolizing untouched habitats.
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