Eagle Owl Birds in Britain

British Birds: Eagle Owl

The Eagle Owl

Jake Davies

The Eurasian Eagle Owl, Bubo bubo, is not only the largest owl to be found in the UK, but also one of the biggest of all birds in the UK, with a wingspan that can reach 6 feet, it is as large as a Red Kite, and the only birds larger being the Golden eagle and White-Tailed eagle. The females are larger than the males.

There are, however, contradicting opinions on whether the eagle owl is considered a native bird or not, with experts and authorities about evenly split on the matter.

There are believed to be several dozen mating pairs of Eagle Owl currently in the UK, mostly in the north of England and in Scotland.

Some say they are Eagle owls that have escaped from captivity, as thousands are known to be kept as pets. Others say they are naturally colonizing the UK as their range in Europe is naturally growing and spreading. Eagle owls appear in the fossil record and have been known to have been kept as pets since at least the 17th century. It is believed as a native species they became extinct in the UK in the 19th century.

The eagle owl shares many features with the Long-eared owl, with distinctive orange eyes, and their large ear tufts, but their size, twice that of the long-eared owl, make them easy to identify at close range. They are among the longest living of the owls and can reach 20 years of age.

Their habitat in the UK is often areas of steep rocky cliffs and outcroppings, and are mostly found in the far north.

They are nocturnal hunters, though in the far north, where summer nights are very short, they have been seen hunting in the afternoons. Their main prey is mammals, especially rabbits and hares, though they will catch larger species like foxes or even small deer. They will attack and sometimes kill other raptors, one reason many bird-lovers dislike them.