most powerful owl (1 Viewer)

[cateyes]

Hello

I was just curious what the most powerful species of owl is? i would think it is either and eagle owl or a great horned owl due to the large prey they have been known to take. Im also curious about i have heard that golden eagles have been known to attack and kill eagle owls is this true or just an assumption?

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Cateyes,

The European Eagle Owl has the edge over Great Horned Owl - they are closely related, but the European is 1.5-4.2kg, the American 0.7-2.5kg (tho' a female GHO is almost exactly the same size as a male EEO; females are larger than males in most owls)

Michael

 

[StevieEvans]

Predators & Prey

Hi

In Europe:-

Theres at least 4 records of Eagle Owl being predated on by Golde Eagle.
Also 1 record of White tailed Sea Eagle having killed Eagle Owl.

There are records of Eagle Owl having taken well grown WTSea Eaglets out of the nest.

Stevie. (apparently Eagle Owls Do Not nest in th UK....)

 

[cateyes]

where do u find these records?

 

[pete woodall]

Surely it has to be the Powerful Owl of Australia.




They eat possums, gliders and flying foxes.


Just imagine - an owl that can

eat a glider

and a fox........





Ok, flying foxes are a "bit" smaller than your average fox and
marsupial gliders are a "bit" smaller than the gliders that you sit in

but still...



Pete

 

[StevieEvans]

Hi Pete
Very approprite answer !!

Yours is the largest owl in Australia, right? (55-63cm)

Michael, I've read about this bird (P'full) previously & have just checked up, the MALE is larger & heavier than the female.
Males wing 397-437mm & bird weighs 1,130-1700g
Females wing 381-410mm & weighs 1,050-1,600g.


Cateyes
Info from as many owl books as my shelves will hold!!

Just remembered about a nestling Eagle owl which was found dead with an adult Moorhen Gallinula chloropus in its gape !! grusome death...choking on your dinner!

Stevie.

 

[CJW]

Take a look at the prey items of European Eagle Owl in BWP.
They are the daddy.

 

[Edward woodwood]

I remember the Eagle Owls in Birecik, Turkey used to eat shedloads of hedgehogs - they littered the floor in the mornings - can't be easy killing and eating a hedgehog!

Over there they call hedgehogs Bubo ekmek - Owl bread!

 

[IanF]

I've watched Eurasian Eagle Owls locally catching wild rabbits and carrying them off without difficulty - an awesome sight. Even better on another occasion watching the young tear the rabbits limb from limb.

Certainly the most powerful Owls that I have seen.

Even when visiting Muncaster Castle, Cumbria recently, home to the World Owl Trust, the EEOs were by far the most impressive birds.

 

[StevieEvans]

Eating Owl

Tim,
The Hedgehog Diet doesnt sound too appetising, but must have been going on for decades+ given its name. Hedgehog is named as a favourite prey item across Central Europe. Wonder what it washes it down with?

The only time i've seen Eagle Owl in the wild was in a gorge in Spain (Tebbar Gorge i think?) We saw it at dusk & raced back again to see it again at dawn.
It gave the immediate impression of being "the daddy" as CJ says, it was huge & powerfull looking. 3 deer were quick to disappear when it flew to the cliff edge!

Ian.
Are those birds you've seen at MOD site.? If you are feeling generous you Could send us a grid ref (PM) We can be ABSOLUTELY Discrete...... o

Just an after thought..........can you imagine loosing your pet Cat or Yorkshire Terrier in Central Europe......... Bad enough thinking its been run over......Never mind imagining it to have become Main Course for Something thats just had a starter of Owl Bread....!!! :eat: :eek!:

Stevie.

 

[IanF]

Hi Stevie,

I thought that would pique your interest

I know of one nest site on MOD property, but the one I visit is on farmland, though with no public access. You can view it from the road, but the nest is a good distance away. Naturally they are out of the nest now and the parents hunt quite close to where you can view them from.

Despite their reputation these Owls feed mainly on Rabbit and Jackdaw with the odd Red Grouse. I had a chat with the conservationalist farmer last month and he reckoned it was in the region of 220 Rabbits and c. 100 Jackdaw they fed on this year and two Red Grouse. They never touched the lambs let alone cats, dogs or young children

I'll PM you Stevie.

 

[Michael Frankis]

I remember the Eagle Owls in Birecik, Turkey used to eat shedloads of hedgehogs - they littered the floor in the mornings - can't be easy killing and eating a hedgehog!

Over there they call hedgehogs Bubo ekmek - Owl bread!

Hi Tim,

Where d'you get that from??

A google search of Turkish web pages reveals the Turkish name of Erinaceus europaeus to be Kirpi

Michael

 

[pete woodall]

Just by coincidence, yesterday I received this email on the (Australian) Powerful Owl :

Deakin discussions - Free talks exploring and informing community and global issues

The Powerful Owl: An Urban Survivor
Presented by Dr Raylene Cook
Tuesday 6 July, 7pm.
Room LT12, Deakin University Burwood Campus, 221 Burwood Hwy. (Free Parking)

The Powerful Owl is Australia=92s largest owl. Traditionally perceived = as confined to old-growth, low disturbance forests, these owls can occasionally be found in urban areas. Population estimates for the species are less than 500 pairs across the State of Victoria so having these owls appearing in the urban areas is important. Being a nocturnal predator, their preferred prey in urban areas of Melbourne is the Common Ringtail Possum and the Common Brushtail Possum. A family of Powerful Owls consumes 250-300 possums each year.

While it is exciting to find Powerful Owls in highly urban areas, there is no evidence that they are breeding in the city. This may be due to=20 the loss of large old eucalypt trees with suitable breeding hollows. Unfortunately these owls cannot breed without a suitable tree hollow and with the continued removal of old habitat trees the prospects of successful breeding does not look good.

Current research aims to determine where these owls have come from and will examine whether they are the offspring of Powerful Owls that have been breeding in Melbourne=92s urban fringe areas for some years. DNA analysis of the owls=92 feathers will provide the key to the genetic=20 makeup of these Powerful Owls and will point to their origins.

 

[pete woodall]

Although not larger that the European Eagle Owl, some mention should be made of the
African Giant Eagle Owl, Bubo lacteus
Its weights go to just over 3 kg and its food includes:
mammals - up to the size of a Vervet Monkey, especially hedgehogs where available;
birds - up to Secretarybird, including ducks, raptors, owls, korhaans and many others,
reptiles, frogs, fish and arthropods.

Info from Roberts Birds of Southern Africa.

It is interesting that it is also keen on a few prickles in its food.

 

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Pete,

Has anyone thought of putting up nestboxes for Powerful Owls?

Michael

 

[pete woodall]

Hi Michael

I'm not sure, that would be an obvious step.
In Brisbane there is a fairly well known nest site in a
natural tree hollow which has been used for a number of years.

In North Queensland, John Young has persuaded a number of cane farmers
to leave strips of natural bush with nest boxes to encourage owls back to
the (sugar) cane fields to keep down the rodent population.

Pete

 

[Nic]

Hi Pete,

Has anyone thought of putting up nestboxes for Powerful Owls?

Michael

Hi!

Here in western Sweden the Eagle Owl have become more common. In the town were I live, Borås and the surrounding area, we probably have five pairs breeding. They all nest on quite steep rocks (not always too high though). In some cases I have noticed these owls breeding on not so steep ground, but this seems fairly rare.

I have never heard of Eagle Owls breeding in nest boxes. We build boxes for the Tawny Owl, Pygmy Owl,Tengmalm's Owl - and are about to start trying to build also for the Long-eared Owl. These five species are the ones you can find breeding in this area.

Nic

 

[Steve G]

Hi Stevie,

I thought that would pique your interest

I know of one nest site on MOD property, but the one I visit is on farmland, though with no public access. You can view it from the road, but the nest is a good distance away. Naturally they are out of the nest now and the parents hunt quite close to where you can view them from.

Despite their reputation these Owls feed mainly on Rabbit and Jackdaw with the odd Red Grouse. I had a chat with the conservationalist farmer last month and he reckoned it was in the region of 220 Rabbits and c. 100 Jackdaw they fed on this year and two Red Grouse. They never touched the lambs let alone cats, dogs or young children

I'll PM you Stevie.

Hi Ian,
Are there a few pairs of these birds nesting in Northern England? If so is this a species which could become established in the UK?
Cheers,
Steve

 

[alcedo.atthis]

Hi Ian,
Are there a few pairs of these birds nesting in Northern England? If so is this a species which could become established in the UK?
Cheers,
Steve

Possibly, but there are nesting records from Scotland.


Malky, jist a wee bitty North of yee.

 

[IanF]

Hi Ian,
Are there a few pairs of these birds nesting in Northern England? If so is this a species which could become established in the UK?
Cheers,
Steve

I know personally of two nest sites locally in rural areas and from what I have heard from other birders there are a good few more in the general area, but the locations are a closely guarded secret.