Eurasian Eagle-Owl

Habitat: Usually in mountains, rocky slopes and barren, dry landscapes with little or no human habitation or activity. Nests in cliffs, on the ground and in abandoned tree nests of other species.

Appearance: Bird of prey found in large parts of Europe, despite persecution and habitat changes caused by humans. In Belgium and the Netherlands, an extremely rare breeding bird – year bird – winter visitor in very small numbers.

Breeding season: February – August, nest in rock crevices – after only 20 days, the young are already scurrying around on the rock face, long before they can fly, 2 – 4 eggs.

Characteristics: length 59–73 cm, wingspan 160–188 cm, weight 2.7 kg, age 22 years – Eagle owls live to a very old age in captivity. When a pair forms there, it raises its young in the cage every year.

Food: The eagle owl hunts at dusk, sometimes even before sunset. It catches rats, but also hedgehogs, which it pierces with its claws through the spines. It pulls corvids from their roosts and strikes both the goshawk and the capercaillie. It can carry a full-grown hare through the air.