Ural owl

This nocturnal bird is named for the Ural Mountains, generally considered to be a dividing line between Europe and Asia. However, its range is not limited to the Ural Mountains. This species is actually found all across northern Eurasia, using its thick feathers to stay warm in the extreme climate.

3 Amazing Facts About Ural Owls

• Ural owls have remarkable binocular vision that allows them to see prey from long distances, even in low-light conditions. Because their eyes are completely fixed in place, however, they have the ability to rotate their heads up to 270 degrees to see around them. Blood pools up in their heads to prevent circulation from being cut off to the brain.
• One of the most interesting facts is that this species has some of the largest ears in relation to the body size of other owls. The uniquely shaped facial discs are used to funnel sounds toward its ears.
• Owls have three different eyelids to protect their eyes.

Where to Find the Ural Owl

Despite the name, Ural owls are not limited to the Ural Mountain range. Instead, they are found all across northern Europe and Asia, from Germany in the west to the Pacific in the east. It is particularly common in Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Japan. These birds prefer to live in old conifers and mixed forest habitats with plenty of potential nesting sites.

Nests

Ural owls will establish a nest in old hollow tree trunks with twigs, feathers, fur, and other materials they can find. They will also move into abandoned twig nests and human-made nest boxes when given the opportunity.

Classification and Scientific Name

The scientific name of the Ural owl is Strix uralensis. Strix is the Latin and Greek word for the owl. Uralensis is a Latinized form of the name Ural. This species is a member of the wood owl genus (meaning forest-dwelling owls).

Species

There are currently about 15 subspecies recognized by most taxonomists, including:

• Strix uralensis uralensis: The nominate subspecies, found primarily in the Ural Mountains and western Siberia. This is the palest of the Ural owls, with some Siberian owls being so white that they are confused with Snowy Owls.
• S. u. davidi: Known as the Pere Davis owl, it is found in the mountains of central China.
• S. u. liturata: Found in northern Europe from Norway, Lapland, and Sweden to Finland, the Baltic region, eastern Poland, the eastern Alps, the Carpathian mountains to the Volga.
• S. u. macroura: The largest Ural owl, this owl is found in the western Carpathians, Transylvanian Alps, and the West Balkans.
• S. u. yenisseensis: Found in the Central Siberian Plateau to northwestern Mongolia.
• S. u. nikolskii: Slightly smaller than the Ural Owls of Japan, these owls are found in Transbaikal north and east to Vitim, Sakhalin, and south to the Korean peninsula.
• S. u. fuscescens: This Japanese owl is found from western and southern Honshu to Kyushu and is the smallest Ural owl.
• S. u. hondoensis: This owl is found throughout Hokkaido and central Honshu in Japan.

Evolution

Fossil records show that owls were present as early as the Paleocene era, 60 to 57 million years ago, in the form of Berruornis and Ogygoptynx. They may have even been present earlier, at the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs, making them one of the oldest groups of land birds.

The Strigiformes expanded into ecological niches during the Paleogene while also evolving into their characteristic adaptations to many environments. By the early Neogene, most primitive owl lineages had disappeared, leaving barn owls (Tytonidae) and typical or true owls (Strigidae) as the main surviving groups. The Ural owl is a true owl.

Size, Appearance, and Behavior

The Ural owl is a close relative of the tawny owl and great gray owl that people may already be familiar with. It is characterized by big black eyes, a long, wedge-shaped tail, rounded wings, and very prominent facial discs around each eye. It also has stark white plumage with black and light brown markings all over the body. Dark streaks appear to run outward from the face and down the stomach and back, whereas bars are present on the wings. Adults can measure up to 2 feet tall with a wingspan of more than 4 feet. Females are considered to be slightly larger than males, but otherwise, the two sexes look similar to each other.

With its thick mat of feathers, the Ural owl is well-adapted to the frigid northern climate of Eurasia. Instead of migrating south for the winter, it tends to remain in the same place all year long. Pairs will establish a defined territory and defend it with surprising force, sometimes even attacking humans in the process. This bird makes a deep hooting call which can be heard from up to 1.2 miles away. These hooting calls may have multiple purposes. They are used to claim territory, signal the presence of threats, and even communicate with their mate. Calls can be strung together to make songs as well. These nocturnal birds spend most of the night hunting and singing, and the daytime sleeping.

Diet

The Ural owl is a carnivorous species. It eats only meat and seldom feeds upon plant material. The Ural owl has a varied diet that consists of voles, shrews, rodents, birds, frogs, and insects. Jays, grouses, and wood pigeons are also part of their normal diet. As a nocturnal species, Ural owls do all their hunting at night. They stand on a tall perch and wait for the prey to appear in view before swooping down upon it.

Predators, Threats, and Conservation Status

According to the IUCN Red List, these owls are considered to be a species of least concern. It is found most commonly in places with low human population density. It is therefore relatively unaffected by habitat and forest loss. However, population numbers have fallen in some parts of Central and Eastern Europe where its range is more likely to coincide with people.

What eats the Ural owl?

An adult Ural owl has few natural predators in the wild. The most dangerous animals it faces are perhaps birds of prey and large cats.

Reproduction, Young, and Molting

This owl is a monogamous species that tends to form a lifelong pair bond with its chosen mate. They spend each year maintaining the same territory and nest. The annual reproductive season will generally take place in spring to early summer. The female will lay a small clutch of up to six eggs (though two to four is the normal number). After an incubation period lasting for about a month, the chicks will hatch with white down and receive plenty of care from their parents. They will first leave the nest at about four weeks old and become capable of flight a few weeks later. The Ural owl will tend to reach sexual maturity and grow their adult plumage about a year after gaining independence. It is estimated to have a maximum potential lifespan of around 24 years in the wild, but most don’t live much longer than 20 years.

Population

It’s estimated that the population numbers range anywhere between 640,000 and 1.052 million mature individuals in the wild. Their large range makes population numbers difficult to estimate with any degree of certainty. Nevertheless, this species appears to be very common throughout northern Eurasia. Although population numbers have fallen in some parts of Europe over the centuries, there have been serious efforts to reintroduce the species into the former parts of its range.