The European Eagle Owl is the largest
species of owl in the world. This large
and powerful bird is a typical horned owl
and it's size, ear tufts and orange eyes
make this a distinctive and impressive
species. The Eagle Owl is largely
nocturnal but will also hunt at dawn and
dusk. It is found in mountains and forests
with cliffs and rocky areas. They are able
to hunt in woods & forests, but due to the
large size they prefer more open spaces.
They have occassionally been found sharing
territories with Golden Eagles, with the
eagles hunting during the day and the owls
at night. They are much less tolerant of
other birds of prey and will aggressively
drive them from it's territory.
The European Eagle Owl breeds February
to July. The female usually lays 1 or 2 eggs
and will incubate the eggs on her own,
taking 32-35 days, with the male bringing
food to the nest until the young are 4 or 5
weeks old. The female will then join the male
in hunting as the demand for food increases.
