Eagle owls are known for their loud calls. They are heard far more than they are seen. They use their various hoots and clucks to let others know they have entered or are entering certain territories. Different hoots represent different moods and are easily recognizable between each member of the species. Also, eagle owls are able to decipher the size and distance of intruders based on the intensity of their call. They also use a low gutteral hoot to attract mates. It's interesting to note that even though eagle owls are difficult to study, they (like other owls) cough up what is known as an owl pellet after their stomach goes through the digestive process. These owl pellets contain the hair, feathers, and bones of prey they were unable to digest. These pellets are very useful to scientists because they help them understand the food habits of these elusive birds.
Communication Channels: visual ; acoustic
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; acoustic ; vibrations ; chemical
Eagle owls are considered rare but not yet threatened. Their numbers are steadily declining due to habitat loss from human encroachment.
US Migratory Bird Act: no special status
US Federal List: no special status
CITES: appendix ii; appendix iii
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: least concern
There are no known adverse affects of the eagle owl on humans.
Eagle owls are economically beneficial to farmers that want to keep the number of rodents down on their land. Many birdwatchers will also pay to get a glimpse of this rare bird in its natural habitat as well as in zoos.
Positive Impacts: ecotourism ; research and education; controls pest population
Eagle owls are at the top of their food chain. They are particularly useful in keeping the number of rodents down in their various ecosystems. The removal of this species can cause the rodent population in a given area to grow significantly. Therefore, they may be a keystone predator.
Ecosystem Impact: keystone species
Eagle owls are carnivores. They are primarily nocturnal hunters and have various hunting techniques. They take their prey in flight or on the ground. They prefer to hunt in open spacious locations rather than forests. Most owls are very capable hunters and the eagle owl is no exception. Owl wings have evolved to make very little noise when flapping. With their night vision, advanced hearing, and silent flight they are the hit men of their territory. Their prey usually has no idea they were being stalked. They feed on almost anything they can catch including rats, mice, voles, beetles and even large prey like deer fawns and foxes. They will also feed on other birds such as crows, ducks, and even other owls. Dominant prey can vary from habitat to habitat but is most often small rodents.
Animal Foods: birds; mammals; reptiles; insects
Primary Diet: carnivore (Eats terrestrial vertebrates, Insectivore )
Eagle owls primarily live in the Palearctic region, although they can travel as far south as the Oriental Region and Ethiopian Region and as far north as the far reaches of Siberia. They are found in North Africa, Europe, The Middle East, and Asia.
Biogeographic Regions: palearctic ; oriental ; ethiopian
Other Geographic Terms: holarctic ; cosmopolitan
These owls can be found in many different kinds of habitats including wooded areas (coniferous forests), warm deserts, mountain ranges, and riverbeds. They prefer to live in rocky landscapes, especially when nesting. Eagle owls search for habitats with adequate food supply and proper nesting sites. Their habitats vary greatly, and they can also be found in open areas that have few trees like farmlands and grasslands.
Habitat Regions: temperate ; polar ; terrestrial
Terrestrial Biomes: tundra ; taiga ; desert or dune ; savanna or grassland ; forest ; scrub forest ; mountains
Wetlands: marsh ; swamp
Other Habitat Features: suburban ; agricultural
Eagle owls have relatively long life spans once they reach adulthood. They have no real natural enemies. In the wild, they live for approximately 20 years, but they can live more than 60 years in captivity.
Range lifespan
Status: wild: 68 (high) years.
Range lifespan
Status: captivity: 64 (high) years.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 10 to 20 years.
Typical lifespan
Status: captivity: 20 to 60 years.
Eagle owls are the largest owls in the world, and they are best known for their large, striking, orange eyes. They are often called the Old World version of America's widely distributed great horned owl. They have prominent ear tufts and are primarily brown-black and tawny-buff in color. Their facial disk is heavily marked with black, gray, and white. Their upper parts are darker than their lower parts, which have black streaks, and their throat is white. It is interesting to note that these owls become paler in the northeastern geographic regions and get progressively darker as you move to the Pacific coast. Also, size tends to decrease from north to south, and east to west.
Range mass: 1600 to 4200 g.
Average mass: 2800 g.
Range length: 58 to 71 cm.
Average length: 65 cm.
Range wingspan: 1.5 to 2 m.
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; homoiothermic; bilateral symmetry
Sexual Dimorphism: female larger
Once eagle owls reach adulthood, they are at a very low risk of predation. They are at the top of the food chain in their niche. They are not a major food source for any other species. The only time they are at risk of predation is during their early years. They are at risk from any predator too large for them too eat. Fortunately, the mother stays with the young for most of this period and keeps the predators at bay. Due to their striped, spotted, and varied coloring, they are extremely well camouflaged, especially when perching in the trees.
Anti-predator Adaptations: cryptic
Both sexes are usually solitary but they pair up during courtship. They advertise potential breeding sites by digging a shallow depression into the earth and emitting a light staccato note and various clucking sounds. They also use these calls to keep track of their mate's location. People often hear them calling to each other. They keep the same partners for life. Eagle owls are very sensitive to their environment. If there is not enough food resources, will mate at a much slower rate and later into the year. When they have sufficient habitats and plentiful food, their mating rate increases significantly.
Mating System: monogamous
Eagle owls form pairs in early fall and nest in late January and early February. They prefer to nest in crevices between rocks, sheltered cliff ledges, cave entrances, as well as abandoned nests of other large birds. Usually egg laying begins in late winter. They usually have one batch of eggs per year ranging from one to four white eggs. This number depends on the food availiable in their area. When the owlets hatch, they are brooded for about two weeks. In about three weeks the young begin to feed and swallow by themselves. By week five they can walk around the nesting area and begin to fly about 60 days, although for only a few meters. They leave the nest or are driven out in the fall (Sept-Nov.) Eagle owls are able to breed from the ages of 2-31 years.
Breeding interval: Breeding occurs once a year.
Breeding season: The breeding season lasts from December to April.
Range eggs per season: 1 to 4.
Average eggs per season: 3.
Range time to hatching: 2 to 3 months.
Range fledging age: 20 to 24 weeks.
Range time to independence: 9 to 12 months.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 1 to 3 years.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 1 to 3 years.
Key Reproductive Features: iteroparous ; seasonal breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; fertilization ; oviparous
Once the eggs are laid, they are incubated by the female alone. The male kills prey and feeds his mate. Once the eggs hatch, the male continues to bring food to the female for the next two weeks. During this time the female stays at the nest protecting her young from predators and teaching them how to eat on their own. All owls are imprinted by their mothers, which means they will imitate the first animal they see. This makes it difficult to release owls into captivity if they are not raised by an owl parent. If an owl sees a human when they are born, they think they are human too.
Parental Investment: male parental care ; female parental care
