The Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is the largest European owl and one of the largest owls living today in the world. It measures between 60 and 75 cm in length, and its wingspan reaches from 160 to just under 190 cm! In addition to its size, it is characterized by large eyes with vivid orange irises and the large ear tufts—tufts of feathers on the top of its head. Its plumage is protective coloring, light and dark brown. On the back and wings darker brown color predominates, the ventral side and flanks are light brown, adorned with longitudinal dark stripes.
The Eurasian eagle-owl is most active at dusk, from sunset to dawn, and by day it snoozes hidden in a rock face. It is a formidable predator that hunts prey appropriate to its size. Most often it waits in ambush on an elevated perch, from which it has a good view of the surrounding area. It preys on rabbits and hedgehogs and other mammals up to the size of a young deer, it also hunts young birds that it searches for in nests in the rocky walls; near water it strikes fear into ducks and other water birds. In times of scarcity it does not hesitate to catch and swallow lizards or frogs; even fish it will go after.
The Eurasian eagle-owl does not build nests. It is most content if it finds a barren and dry rock face with a sufficiently large shelf, which dominates the expansive open grassy landscape interspersed with groves and shrubs, where it finds enough food for itself and its young. From the rock ledge, the male calls to the female in February and March with a loud "HUUuuu". It nests less often in the abandoned nest of another large bird, in a broken tree, or right on the forest floor. In Slovenia, the nesting period lasts from February to June. The young birds then move away in search of their territory, while adults stay through winter. When it comes to nesting, the Eurasian eagle-owl is a demanding bird, as disturbances during nesting can even cause it to abandon the nest and its young!
In Slovenia, the Eurasian eagle-owl is a highly endangered species! Its numbers are decreasing due to the disappearance of suitable habitat. The main causes are the encroachment of meadows and pastures by forest on the one hand and the intensification of agricultural practices on the other. To this, there is also too high a number of deaths due to electric shocks. Power-line poles are, after all, a prime ambush perching site, but due to its size the Eurasian eagle-owl can touch two cables at once, allowing the electric current to pass through its body…
