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Today on Animal Fact Files we’re discussing Eurasian eagle owls. You can stay up to date on all the animals we cover by subscribing to the channel. Eurasian eagle owls are also known as European eagle owls as well as just eagle owls, but since there are other types of eagle owls in the world, we’re going to stick with Eurasian eagle owl to make things less confusing. Their scientific name is Bubo bubo and they lie throughout Europe, Asia, and the most northern parts of Africa. Eurasian eagle owls are adaptable creatures who can live in a variety of environments including forests, grasslands, tundras, deserts, and even cities, though they seem to have a preference for places with rocky outcroppings where they can raise a family. As we discussed in our episode on owls in general, Eurasian eagle owls will reuse the nest of another bird of prey such as a hawk and don’t typically spend much time constructing their own nests. They’ll pair up near the end of fall and stay mostly monogamous throughout their lives. The female owl will lay one to four eggs depending on food supply, and she will stay with the nest while the male hunts and brings her food. It’s a good thing Chester wasn’t born an owl, his mate would starve. The eggs are incubated for a little more than a month, and the babies are able to fly after another two months. The owlets, however, will stay under their mother’s protection until they’re about six months old. They stay with her for this long because at this stage in their life they could fall victim to predation. Adult Eurasian eagle owls top the food chain and don’t have predators, but young owls may be taken by foxes and birds of prey if left unprotected. In the wild, Eurasian eagle olds can live more than two decades, and in captivity they’ve been known to live longer than 60 years!

Eurasian eagle owls are some of the largest owls on the planet with females appearing slightly larger than males, as is the case with most birds of prey. They can weigh more than nine pounds (4.08kg) and have a wingspan of six feet (1.83m). Their large size allows them the opportunity to eat larger prey items such as deer fawn and foxes, though their typical diet consists of rodents such as mice and voles, as well as rabbits and even reptiles and amphibians if the need arises. Like other owls, Eurasian eagle owls will consume their prey whole and spit back out an owl pellet containing the fur, bones, and teeth they were unable to digest. Hey, at least they’re efficient. None of the edible parts go to waste in owl meals.

The chance of seeing a Eurasian eagle owl in the wild is pretty slim. They’re excellently camouflaged during the day, and they are only really active at night. Plus, Eurasian eagle owl populations have faced major declines in the past century due to human interactions including hunting, poisoning via pesticides, as well as collisions with electric wires. Thankfully, more recently we’ve made efforts to help raise their numbers. Their considered rare in the wild, and some sources claim their numbers could still be declining, though they’re not listed as vulnerable. Truth be told, you’re more likely to hear a Eurasian eagle owl than see one. If you hear a sound during the night that’s something like this, you may be near one of these massive birds.

Eurasian eagle owls are a distinct species thanks to their bright, orange-colored eyes. Since they live over a wide geographical range, there are multiple subspecies of Eurasian eagle owls, thus their size and colors can vary. In general, however, they have a speckled tawny and cream chest with a pale greyish face. Their ear tufts serve no real purpose in hearing, though they do come in handy for communication with other owls as well as making an individual appear bigger for intimidation displays. They also have totally feathered feet which is freaking adorable! It’s like they have on little boots!

For more facts on Eurasian eagle owls, take a look at the links in the description. Let us know your thoughts on Eurasian eagle owls in the comments. Give this video a thumbs up if you enjoyed it, and we’ll see you next time on Animal Fact Files!