Great Gray Owl - description, habitat, interesting facts. Tawny owl. The way of life and habitat of the tawny owl bird General characteristics and field signs

Detachment - owls

Family - real owls

Genus/Species - Strix nebulosa. Great Gray Owl

Basic data:

DIMENSIONS

Length: 63-66 cm.

Wingspan: 131-140 cm.

Weight: 850-1200

BREEDING

Puberty: from 2 years old.

Nesting period: from April.

Carrying: 1 per season.

Number of eggs: 3-6.

Incubation: 28-35 days.

Feeding chicks: 20-30 days.

LIFESTYLE

Habits: Great Gray Owl (see photo of an owl) keeps alone in winter, in spring and summer birds keep in family groups or large flocks.

Food: small mammals, passerines.

Lifespan: 6 years.

RELATED SPECIES

The closest relative is the long-tailed owl.

The Great Gray Owl Can Survive a Frosty Winter in northern forests thanks to its soft and dense plumage. She silently glides over the ground in search of prey or waits for it, hiding on a high branch, and reacts to even the slightest rustling in the grass.

BREEDING

The Great Gray Owl does not build its own nest, but uses the abandoned nests of hawks, kites or ravens. Eggs can be hidden in a stump or rotten tree trunk at a height of about 1.5 m from the ground. If there are enough abandoned nests, then several pairs divide even a small territory among themselves. Pairs that nest, behave non-aggressively towards each other and respect the rights of neighbors to the site. However, they attack all aliens that appear within their nesting territory. The female begins incubation with the laying of the first egg, and the male gets food all this time and brings it to the female. The chicks appear at intervals of several days. The difference between the oldest and youngest baby can be about two weeks. The down of young Tawny Owls is light gray on the upper side of the body, and whitish on the underside. The chicks hatch blind and deaf. At first, they do not even know how to regulate their body temperature, so they are completely dependent on their mother, who constantly warms them. The chicks call for food by emitting a faint squeak, and then a shrill, sharp "ooh-ix". Parents feed them small pieces of meat, later give them whole prey. The chicks stay with their parents throughout the autumn.

LIFESTYLE

The Great Gray Owl lives in the north in the pine, spruce and larch forests of Sweden, Finland and Poland until Eastern Siberia. Birds are also found in Alaska, Canada and the northern United States.

Owl migrations do not depend on the time of year, but on the amount of prey, mainly and, whose populations are subject to significant seasonal fluctuations. If food is scarce, then the entire population of bearded owls migrates south, for example, northern European birds fly to southern Sweden to find rich sources of food. Some pairs are sedentary, but when food is scarce, they do not nest. The bearded owl is active both during the day and at night.

However, even during the day it is difficult to see it, because its gray colored wings and a pattern of small spots that resembles the surface of the bark of a tree perfectly camouflage the bird on the tree. The Great Gray Owl is most active at dusk, when the long shadows make it almost invisible. She flies out of the shelter silently, as soon as she notices the prey.

WHAT DOES THE TOWN OWL FEED

The Great Gray Owl preys mainly on bush voles, other species also become its prey - gray and red voles, shrews and birds, sometimes also squirrels, lemmings, moles, and even weasels. The hunting area of ​​the Great Owl covers meadows, swamps, forest glades and peat bogs.

The bearded owl often sits on branches at the edge of the forest and looks out for prey. She can turn her head 180°, which, combined with excellent vision, allows her to best observe what is happening around her. When hunting, the bearded owl also uses its excellent hearing. She hears quiet sounds and squeaks of mice in the grass. The Great Gray Owl is able to determine the position of the victim even under a thick layer of loose snow and, without missing, grab the prey with its legs stretched forward, armed with long, curved and sharp, like daggers, claws.

• The Great Gray Owl is hiding, motionless on a tree branch not far from the trunk. So its feathers merge with the bark of the tree, and the bird becomes like a protruding twig.
• Tawny owl chicks often act like little cannibals. The oldest and strongest of them, when there is not enough food, can eat their younger and weaker brothers and sisters.
• The Great Gray Owl is the largest of the owls, but it owes its size primarily to its plumage. In fact, the Great Gray Owl weighs almost half as much as other owls of the same size.

CHARACTERISTIC FEATURES OF THE TOWN OWL

Head: large, with a clear facial disc formed by dark gray concentric circles with white eyebrows and a black beard. Small eyes give the bird an almost demonic look.

Legs: with sharp, curved claws, with which the bird catches prey.

- Habitat of the bearded owl

WHERE Dwells

The Great Gray Owl is found in Europe and northern Asia, from northern Sweden in the west to northeastern Siberia, and also in North America.

PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION

The population of this owl changes annually, depending on the number or lemmings. In addition, the bearded one is threatened with the destruction of its habitats.

The Great Owl eats a mouse by turning its head 180 degrees. Video (00:02:03)

The Great Owl eats a mouse by turning its head 180 degrees and back.
I saw the Great Owl at the zoo in Prague, where animals live in enclosures, where there is a lot of space - trees, ponds, mountains - everything is like in wildlife. The bearded owl eats the mouse so cool and twists its head without crunching - you are simply amazed.

Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa). Video (00:01:20)

Bearded Owl. Video (00:00:20)

Strix nebulosa in Russia. A pair of Great Gray Owls breeding on a nesting platform. Nizhny Novgorod Region. 2012. Shot on Canon 60 D+EF 100-400 L

Voices of birds - Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa). Video (00:00:52)

Great Gray Owl (lat. Strix nebulosa)
Big-headed owl, smoky-gray coloring without red tones. The eyes are yellow with dark concentric stripes around. A black spot under the beak, similar to a beard, for which this species got its name. The underside of the wing is striped
It lives in the taiga zone, sometimes in mountain forests. Distributed from Kola Peninsula to the mountains of Primorye. From the borders of the tall forest in the north to East Prussia, the Baltic states, the central strip of the European part of Russia (about 52 ° northern latitude). It is also found in Siberia to Transbaikalia, the Amur region, Sakhalin and Mongolia. In winter occasionally appears in the Middle lane.

BEARDED TOWN-OWL. Video (00:01:52)

The largest owl of the genus Tawny Owls. Now the zoo is not exhibited.

Systematics

Russian name- Great Owl

Latin name- Strix nebulosa

English name- Lapland (great gray) owl

Detachment- Owls

Family- Real owls

The specific name "nebulosa" comes from the Latin "Nebulosus" meaning nebula or foggy. Among the names of this owl there are very interesting and unusual ones, for example, a large gray ghost, a phantom of the North, an ashy owl, a sooty owl.

The status of the species in nature

The Great Gray Owl is a protected species (CITES Convention). It is protected by local and regional legislation of those countries in which the species lives. In Russia, this owl is listed in the Red Books of many regions and republics.

To preserve the Great Gray Owl, it is necessary to promote its protection and strictly observe the ban on its shooting.

To attract this owl, artificial nests are arranged from branches, which owls willingly occupy.

View and person

Living mainly in the taiga zone, the Great Gray Owl has little direct contact with humans. However, cutting down old forests has a negative effect on its distribution (it has become rare in some parts of its range). In addition, owls die on the roads and from electric shock in collisions with power lines. The direct shooting of birds does not stop, especially since in some regions of Siberia and Far East the meat of the gray owl is considered a delicacy.

The Great Owl is a symbol Canadian province Manitoba.

Spreading

The Great Gray Owl lives in the taiga zone of Eurasia and North America. In Russia, it is found on the territory from the Kola Peninsula to Chukotka and northern Sakhalin.

The main habitats are taiga forests with swamps and burnt areas, on which the owl hunts; rarely found in mountain forests.

Leads a sedentary lifestyle, but in years of low rodent abundance, migrations beyond the borders of the nesting range are possible.

Appearance

Great Gray Owl - large bird, body length reaches 80 cm, wingspan - 1.5 m, but the weight is very small - 700-800 g for males and a little more than 1 kg for females.

The general coloration of the body is smoky gray with a large number of dark stripes; red tones in plumage are completely absent.

The head is large, with a large (up to 40 cm in diameter) and well-developed facial disc. The eyes are bright yellow, relatively small, and surrounded by dark concentric circles. There are no feather ears on the head. Under the beak there is a black spot similar to a beard, for which the owl got its name. A white "collar" is clearly visible on the neck.

The tail is long, wedge-shaped.

Like all owls, the plumage is loose and dampens the sound of air currents, which makes the flight of these large owls completely silent.

Feeding and feeding behavior

The basis of nutrition of the gray owl is small rodents, they account for 80-90% of the diet. She also catches squirrels, birds, frogs and even large insects. According to Finnish ornithologists, one owl for 6 summer months Produces about 700 mice and voles.

The Great Gray Owl hunts early in the morning or in the evening, but it can also hunt at night and even during the day, especially in winter. In the spring, with the onset of more long days, Tawny Owls go hunting at dusk. Most often, it hunts from ambush, sitting on a tree and carefully observing, and most importantly, listening to what is happening in the nearest clearing, swamp or clearing. For hunting the Great Gray Owl, it is necessary to have open, forest-free areas. The main "weapon" when hunting the gray owl is excellent hearing and claws. An owl by hearing determines the presence of a prey, even if it is not on the surface, but at a depth of up to 30 cm under snow or underground. Then she flies off the branch and grabs her prey with lightning speed with her claws. Often, from one perch within a radius of 20-25 cm, the gray owl manages to get 4-6 animals. If the place is chosen unsuccessfully, then after 10-20 minutes. the owl smoothly flies to another tree. If the density of rodents is low, the Great Gray Owl hunts using the search flight method. It slowly flies around the hunting area at a height of 2.5-5 m and also determines the presence of prey by ear.

Like other owls, the Great Owl often hunts near the nest, and only the lack of food here forces it to fly away.

The daily requirement of this owl for food is 150-160 g.

Feeding and feeding behavior

Activity

The Great Gray Owl can be active at any time of the day, but prefers the morning and evening twilight hours. In winter, when daylight is short, the owl hunts even in daytime. This is perhaps the most "daytime" of our owls.

The Great Gray Owl does not tolerate heat well, so in the summer during the hottest hours, it hides in the shade among the branches on a tree. At the same time, she opens her wings, rises on her paws and fluffs her plumage, as if for “airing”.

Vocalization

The voice of the gray owl is a loud trumpet hum, with each subsequent “woo” lower in tone than the previous one. This scream repeats every 15-30 seconds. and in good weather can be heard at a distance of up to 800 m. Near the nest, these owls make a different sound, higher and more sonorous.

social behavior

Tawny Owls are territorial birds, but the hunting grounds of neighboring pairs may overlap. Under favorable feeding conditions, the density of nesting gray owls can reach 58 pairs per 1 ha. In case of danger, neighboring couples often unite to repulse the disturber of the peace.

To other species of owls and to diurnal birds of prey encountered in their hunting areas, the Great Owl is very tolerant.

Reproduction and parenting behavior

Pairs of gray owls are permanent and probably form for life.

Nesting starts early. The mating calls of males in the southern parts of the range are heard already in February, in the northern parts - in March-April. Courtship is expressed in mutual feeding and cleaning of plumage, however, more often, the male brings food and treats the female. Then the male chooses a territory and notifies the female about it. She examines several sites before settling on the most suitable one. Usually bearded owls use other people's nests - buzzards, goshawks or ravens, located high in the trees. Unlike other owls, tawny owls renovate and improve an old alien nest. They use pine needles, reindeer hair, moss and pieces of bark as fresh bedding.

With an interval of 1-2 days, the female lays 2 to 5 white eggs. Incubation begins with the first egg and lasts 28-30 days. Only the female incubates, although there is evidence that the male may occasionally change her on the nest. The female incubates very densely; almost does not leave the nest, while she slightly raises her tail and spreads her wings and looks more like a hatching chicken than an owl. The male hunts most of the time and feeds only the female at first, and then the chicks. Hatched chicks are dressed in white down and, unlike other owls, develop rather slowly. At first, the female breaks the brought prey and feeds the chicks, and then they learn to do it themselves, and then the female also begins to hunt. Adult tawny owls at the nest are very aggressive, boldly attack and claw, trying to hit on the head, even a person and a bear.

The chicks leave the nest at the age of 3-4 weeks and begin to learn to fly. They fully fledge after 8 weeks, but remain at the nest for several more months. Parents continue to feed and protect them.

Lifespan

Bearded owls are long-lived birds. In captivity, they lived up to 40 years, in nature, of course, their life is shorter.

The history of life in the zoo

Now in our zoo a pair of gray owls lives only in the nursery, but until recently they were also kept at the Russian Forest exposition in the Old Territory.

The daily diet of these owls consists of 10 mice.

Tawny owls (Strix) are birds belonging to a fairly large family of owls, the order Owls and the genus Owls. According to scientists, the word owl has a very peculiar literal translation - "not food."

Description of the owl

The average body length of an adult owl can vary between 30-70 cm. At the same time, the bird has no feather "ears" at all. The owl is characterized by a well-defined facial disc, large and asymmetric ear openings, almost completely covered by a skin fold. The bird's beak is high, with compression from the sides. Loose plumage usually has a grayish or reddish coloration with brown streaks. The iris of the bird is a characteristic brown color.

Appearance

The common owl has dimensions in the range of 36-38 cm and weighs 400-640 g. The bird has dark eyes, a round head, wide and rounded wings and gray plumage with a complete absence of ear tufts. The pale owl is characterized by body dimensions in the range of 30-33 cm, paleness of the color of the feathers and yellow color of the eye. The Guatemalan Tawny Owl is quite large for a kind of owl with a body length of 40.5-45.0 cm. This bird has a pale yellow facial disc with darkening around the eyes and a narrow, dark rim. The beak is yellow and the eyes are dark brown. The Brazilian Owl is a medium-sized owl with a body weight of 285-340 grams, characterized by a reddish-brown color and dark eyes.

The upper body of the Malayan Owl is characterized by dark brown plumage, while the underparts are pale yellow with noticeable brown stripes. All representatives of this species have a red facial disc with white edging and dark brown eyes. The Great Gray Owl is a fairly large feathered predator with a half-meter wingspan, distinguished by a smoky gray color without reddish tones, as well as yellow eyes with dark concentric stripes around. Under the beak of such a bird there is a black spot resembling a beard, and on the front of the neck is white color"collar".

The Spotted Owl has a grey-black color with white spots, a dark facial disc and a yellow beak. The medium-sized Mango Owl is the owner of a very variegated camouflage coloration with black, brown, white and yellowish-red blotches. The feathered predator has a white chin, dark brown eyes and orange eyelids. The tawny owl is characterized by a pale orange plumage with numerous stripes of dark color or brown coloration. The facial disc in birds of this species is reddish, with dark eyes. Unusual name bird received for yellow-brown or Orange color legs.

Relatively large for members of its genus, the Pagoda Owl has a chocolate brown color with white spots on the back, a light yellow chest with dark stripes, and a reddish-brown facial disc. The long-tailed or Ural owl is today one of the most major representatives kind. The color of the dorsal region is whitish-buffy with a longitudinal brown pattern and weakly expressed transverse marks located on large feathers. The flight and tail feathers are characterized by a brownish-ocher color with a dark transverse pattern. The belly of the bird is whitish-ocher or pure white, with distinct brown longitudinal spots.

The Barred Owl has a body length of 35 cm with a wingspan of 85 cm. This species is distinguished by black eyes, a large prominent white frill on the chest and brown stripes on the belly. The African cyccaba does not have feather ears and is characterized by brown plumage with white specks on the upper body. Medium-sized bird has whitish eyebrows, dark brown iris, unfeathered yellowish toes.

The zebra cyccaba is a relatively small carnivore. gray color with black stripes, and the lower body of the black and white cyccaba has a light lower body with dark stripes.

This is interesting! The red-striped cyccaba is nocturnal migratory bird medium in size, with a body length in the range of 30-35 cm. Representatives of the species and subspecies prefer to settle and hunt in mountainous regions and tropical forest areas, due to which it remains generally a little-studied feathered predator.

The total length of the holotype Desert Owl does not exceed 32 cm with a tail length of 14 cm and a wing span of 25 cm. and mottled. The facial discs are off-white or sandy-gray in color, with a light brown border around the eyes.

Character and lifestyle

Owls can be both diurnal and nocturnal birds of prey. For example, the African cyccaba is a territorial species that is active only at dusk and at night, and during the day such a bird sits alone or unites in pairs.

How long do owls live

The life expectancy of any owl directly depends on its size. Small birds of prey have a shorter life cycle due to a very fast metabolism. On average, tawny owls live for about five years, but, of course, among the representatives of the species there are so-called record holders for longevity.

sexual dimorphism

Between adult females and males of the owl, most often there is no difference in appearance. For some species, a slight difference in plumage color, as well as in size and body weight, is characteristic. For example, females of the spotted cyccaba are noticeably heavier than males of this species.

Owl species

The genus of the owl is represented by twenty-two species:

• Gray, or common owl (Strix aluco), including ten subspecies;
• Pale owl (Strix butleri);
• Tawny owl Chaco (Strix chacoensis);
• Brown Guatemalan Owl (Strix fulvescens);
• Brazilian Tawny Owl (Strix hylophila);
• Malay Owl (Strix leptogrammica);
• Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa);
• Spotted Owl (Strix occidentalis), including three subspecies;
• Owl Mango (Strix ocellata);
• Red-footed or red-footed owl (Strix rufipes);
• The Pagoda Owl (Strix seloputo), including three subspecies;
• Long-tailed or Ural owl (Strix uralensis);
• Great Gray Owl (Strix varia);
• African cyccaba (Strix woodfordii);
• Zebra cyccaba (Strix huhula);
• Black and white cyccaba (Strix nigrolineata);
• Spotted cyccaba (Strix virgata);
• Red-striped cyccaba (Strix albitarsis), including three subspecies.

Also currently in the genus Owl are Strix davidi or David's Owl, Strix nivicolum and Strix sartorii.

This is interesting! Desert Owl (Strix hadorami) - relatively the new kind owls belonging to the genus Owls and isolated only three years ago from the species Strix butleri.

Range, habitats

The Tawny Owl is distributed over most of the European territory and in Central Asia. The traditional range of the tawny owl is Syria, Israel and Egypt, as well as the northeastern part of the Arabian Peninsula. The Chaco Tawny Owl inhabits the central vast areas in South America called the Gran Chaco, as well as Paraguay, southern Bolivia and northern Argentina, where the bird prefers dry forests, semi-deserts and arid regions. The red-striped cyccaba is a species that lives in a narrow strip that extends along the foothills of the eastern Andes and stretches through Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia and Peru.

The Guatemalan Tawny Owl inhabits humid and mountainous pine-oak forest areas, while the Brazilian Tawny Owl is a typical inhabitant of southern Brazil, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. The distribution range of the Malayan Owl extends from Sri Lanka and India, to the western part of Indonesia and the southern territories of China. The Great Gray Owl is an inhabitant of the taiga zone and mountain forests. The species has spread from the Kola Peninsula to the mountains of Primorye, is found near the Baltic states and East Prussia, in the central strip of the European part of our country, and also in Siberia.

The spotted owl has become widespread in western North America, and the mango owl is found in a large area of ​​Bangladesh and India, as well as in western Burma. Habitat The habitat of the Red-footed or Red-footed Owl is represented by foothill forests and lowlands in southern and central Chile, Tierra del Fuego, western Argentina and the Falkland Islands. The Pagoda Owl is found in the Indochina peninsula and Sumatra island, and the habitat of this species also includes Burma, Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia.

The long-tailed or Ural owl is found most often in high-stemmed mixed forest zones with a predominance of waterlogged coniferous species. The Barred Owl is a typical North American owl species. The African cyccaba has become widespread in Africa, and the Zebra cyccaba inhabits the territory of South America.

The habitat of the black and white cyccaba is represented by Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela and Ecuador. Spotted cyccabs are quite common throughout the natural range of the species: from the territory of Mexico, Venezuela and Colombia to the territory of northern Argentina, and Brazil.

The Great Gray Owl is a large, large-headed gray owl with numerous dark and light streaks. Of all the forest owls, it is inferior in size only to the eagle owl. From the Ural Owl, in addition to the difference in size, it differs in relatively small yellow eyes, clear concentric circles on the facial disc, and the presence of a thick black spot (“beard”) under the beak. In general, it is somewhat larger, more heady and darker than the Ural Owl. The female is larger (more dense) than the male, the same color. Juveniles in the second downy plumage are generally darker and browner than adults, with dark spots on the facial disc, yellow eyes. Elements of this attire are preserved until autumn, in the latest chicks - until November. In the first adult outfit, they look like adults. Contact signs for determining young in the first winter: tail feathers are narrow (45-55, rarely - 60 mm, in adults - 55-70) and with pointed tops (in adults - rounded), at the tops - with a narrow white edging, which to in the spring it can be completely worn out, especially on the central helmsmen (in adults, the tops of the helmsmen are gray). In the first years, the flight feathers are worn approximately the same, in the spring their gradual change begins, and from that time on they are different in terms of wear. Weight of males 600-1100, females - 700-1900 g, length 63-70, wing of males 43.0-46.6, females - 44.1-46.7, wingspan 130-158 cm.

Voice.

The current cries of the male are similar in nature to the cries of the Ural Owl, these are deaf, low, humming sounds, but the structure of the song is different. It consists of about a dozen monosyllabic cries: "gu-gu-gu…", which at the beginning of the song are pronounced with an interval of about 0.5-1 second, then gradually subside and become more frequent, can almost merge at the end. At the height of the talk, the intervals between songs can be only 5-10 seconds. The cry of the female can be heard less often, this is also a low sound, but more drawn out: "goo". When disturbed at the nest, muffled cries are uttered "huf", "heev", hiss, click their beak, emit a mournful undulating "uyyyyyyyyyy". Hungry fledglings hoarsely shout: "psyit" or "zip". At roll call, the young shout sharply "wooweek".

Spreading.

The forests of northern and temperate latitudes Eurasia and America. In the Ural-West Siberian region - from the northern forest-steppe to the northern taiga. In general, they are quite rare, especially to the west of the Urals. in the Trans-Urals and Western Siberia are more common and in some places relatively common. Sometimes they fly into the tundra and forest-steppe. They live in the nesting area all year round.

Lifestyle.

The most favorite habitats of the gray owl are the old taiga with swamps, meadows, burnt areas, clearings. Nesting density and the very fact of nesting strongly depend on the number of rodents. The mating calls of the male in the south of the range are heard already in March, in the north - in April, i.e., in fact, even in winter. They sing at dusk, at night, and often during the day.

For nesting, relatively open and firmly arranged nests of buzzards, goshawks and others are used. birds of prey, nest on high "fragments" of old trees, if deepening is expressed. The clutch contains 3-7 white eggs, usually 4-5, their dimensions are 48-60 x 39-47 mm. The female incubates from the first egg and almost continuously. One egg is incubated for about 28 days. The male is not far from the nest, flying away only for prey. After hatching, the chicks are in white down, grayish above, the second downy outfit is gray-brown, with an indistinct transverse pattern, a dark, almost black "mask" is characteristic. The female does not fly far from the nest even for food, and with small chicks she is inseparable. Adults are very aggressive towards nest predators, attacking and clawing on the head and back of everyone, including bear and human. The chicks leave the nest at the age of about 4 weeks, climbing and flying over neighboring trees.

Despite their large size, the Great Owl catches almost exclusively small rodents; in times of famine, they also catch other animals, birds up to the size of a hazel grouse, and frogs. They hunt from a perch or in a search flight. They are active mainly at dusk and at night, but sometimes during the day. With an abundance and availability of prey, they live settled, and when there is no food, they wander, flying into cities and outside the nesting range.

Great Gray Owl, like rare view, is included in the Red Book of the Sverdlovsk Region and the Saldinsky Territory.

When describing the species of birds of the Salda region, the book "Birds of the Urals, the Urals and Western Siberia" is taken as a basis. Reference guide. Author V.K. Ryabitsev - Yekaterinburg. Ural University Press 2001

The Great Gray Owl is rightfully considered one of the most beautiful birds that live in the vastness of our country. The birds are gray in plumage color, with many inclusions of various shades. If you meet her in nature, you can decently be surprised at the beauty of the presented individual. Thanks to their plumage, these birds are perfectly camouflaged, literally merging with the environment. This breed variety got its name because of the dark spots located at the bottom of the beak. A whitish edging-collar is noticed in the neck area, and a beard flaunts below.

Features and Description

1. Individuals of this group are nocturnal inhabitants who are awake and hunt in the dark. The plumage is thick and protruding, the bird is very fluffy. If we compare the external data and the main characteristics, these individuals are quite powerful and impressive.
2. According to their overall features, owls are rather large than medium. Their weight is 900 gr. average. In length, the birds grow up to 50 cm, in all respects they are inferior to their relatives eagle owls.
3. In general, all external data are characteristic of the owl family. But the ears of feathers on the head are absent, which distinguishes these individuals from the rest. The head seems to be slanted, large. There are no cute features in the appearance, the birds look quite intimidating.
4. The beak is located high, squeezed from the side parts. The plumage is loose in structure and sticks out to the sides. Individuals are reddish or grayish in color. All plumage is covered with brown spots.
5. When a bird moves through its territory at night, it is guided by its locators. They are understood as folds of skin, which are auricles on the front. They are hidden under dense plumage, but they perform their function well. Owls hear an approaching threat from a distance.
6. The hearing aid located on the left side is smaller than the one on the right section. Usually a similar phenomenon is characteristic of the entire owl family. However, in this species, this aspect is so well expressed that even the skull is deformed. As for the shade of the eyes, they are brown, muffled.

Lifestyle

1. These birds are widespread in European countries. They are also found in Asia, on the northern side of Africa, in the United States of America. Owls are not uncommon, but prefer to stay away from humans. Also in the vastness of our country there are these representatives of the family.
2. Tawny owls, common in Siberia and the Urals, have a predominantly grayish tone of plumage. If the birds live in the south or north of the mainland, then they are reddish in hue with a slight brownish tone. Those birds that live in the Caucasus are pigmented with coffee and brown tone with black patches.
3. These birds are interesting in terms of behavior, they are very brave, they will even tear apart for their family or couple. strong predator. They choose a soul mate for life, they are monogamous by nature. When they go to choose a place of residence, they are guided by the presence of edges and clearings. From these places best review and, as a result, the ability to catch prey.
4. In their way of life, these birds are similar to other inhabitants of the owl family. Actively spend time at night, prepare in advance for sorties, gain strength. When the sun is at sunset, the birds begin to make bold and bloodthirsty attacks.
5. Due to the wide wings, the flight is very quiet, there are no air shocks. The prey does not have time to understand what is happening, as it immediately becomes eaten. Distinctive feature These birds are considered silent, they talk little and practically do not call to each other. This can only happen at night while hunting.
6. Birds, according to their characteristics, lead a sedentary lifestyle. They can leave a warm place, migrating to other regions for the winter. But this is extremely rare. However, experienced experts have not established what exactly influences such behavior.
7. Birds are always on the alert, especially during the daytime. They are ready for danger. If, in their opinion, a threat is approaching, then individuals immediately compress their plumage and become literally invisible among the trees. They can either rush to the attack, or completely silently leave the place.
8. Considered representatives of their species can stand up for themselves. If one of the strangers approaches the owl's nest, then it will defend itself very cruelly. At the same time, such birds are not even afraid of bears. Therefore, especially curious and predators better side bypass data owl nests.
9. Protecting their own chicks, owls leave deep scars and even peck out the eyes of offenders. Even during skirmishes and serious fights with hawks, the individuals in question always remain victorious. It is worth noting that the owls try to keep their own territory, they also respect the boundaries of other relatives.
10. As soon as an uninvited guest steps into their own territory, these birds begin to actively chase him away. At the same time, the owls loudly and indignantly begin to yell. Birds also exhibit threatening behavior. Owls attack dogs, foxes, cats and people without any fear. It is worth noting that they ignore the provocations of annoying crows.

Nutrition

1. Considered individuals in Ancient Rus' called insatiable creatures, hence the name owls. It is worth noting that although the owls are nocturnal predators, they do not try to attack large prey.
2. Owls visit the dense forest thickets at night. They silently glide between the trees in flight, looking for various small rodents. Often, shrews and voles become victims. Often, owls attack gaping victims from an ambush.
3. Literally in a split second, the owl overtakes its prey. During the hunt, the individuals in question rely not only on sight, but also on excellent hearing. In most cases, an owl attacks its prey with accuracy at a distance of up to 6 m.
4. Presented individuals often settle near people who have agricultural land. As a result, owls make life easier for farmers when they catch small rodents. Such birds often attack small birds that are active at night.
5. Often, such owls cause many problems for fishermen. The problem is that owls steal the skins of small animals and sables. Birds simply take prey from traps. The robbers do not have time to come for the trophy. Among other things, owls feed on amphibians, invertebrates and various reptiles.

reproduction

1. Often, the nests of the individuals in question are located in hollows forest trees. Most often, dwellings are located on cut-down edges, not far from moss swamps and under the roof of abandoned houses. Often such owls lay eggs for other birds.
2. When the birds independently incubate the clutch, the young appear after 5 weeks. After another 1 month, the chicks take to the wings and leave the parental home. They become completely independent after another 3-4 months.

The individuals in question have a unique character. Parents always fiercely protect their offspring and nest. Therefore, you should not walk alone through the night forests, and even more so look for the dwellings of owls. At best, you'll come back with deep bruises.

Video: Great Gray Owl (Strix nebulosa)