Tawny Owl is also called Ural. Initially, this species was discovered precisely in the Urals, and therefore such a name was fixed. However, scientists disagree about the meaning of the word "tawny owl". On the one hand, it is interpreted as an "insatiable creature", since owls are really voracious. On the other hand, at the time of the birth of Christianity, there were bans on certain types of food, including the tawny owl. Hunting for her was prohibited.
Tawny Owl description
It should be noted that the owl is one of the largest representatives of its kind. She does not have feathers on her ears, unlike other owls. In addition, the Ural Owl has black eyes, light facial plumage, and is larger than other species. This bird can be found throughout Russia, it is quite common. She prefers to hunt at night, but it is quite possible to see her beforesunset.
Tawny Owl is a fairly large bird. It can reach seventy centimeters in height. And its wingspan is one and a half meters. One wing reaches forty centimeters. And the tail, because of which it got its name, grows up to thirty centimeters. It is he who is the hallmark of this species. The plumage of the owl is light grey. There are usually yellow blotches on the back. The wings of the bird are yellowish-white, but darker than the tone of the body. The belly is very light, sometimes even snow-white. And the tawny owl, like other owls, has eyebrows made of feathers above the eyes. The legs of the bird are almost completely covered with plumage.
Females and males look practically the same. In rare cases, it happens that the "boy" is smaller. The main pride of the owl is its long tail. It is usually slightly darker and covered in a pattern. The eyes of the bird are almost black, and the beak is yellow. On the paws are powerful claws. In flight, one gets the impression that this is a large predator, although in fact the owl weighs from 600 grams to one and a half kilograms. In young animals, the plumage is slightly lighter than in older individuals. Even on the bird's head are the so-called glasses, which are gray circles near the eyes.
Tawny owl habitats
Tawny Owl is a protected species, although quite common. It can be found in Lapland, the European part of the Russian Federation, Bashkiria and on the Volga. And in Siberia, it is quite widespread. It can be seen in Altai, in the Sayans, onTrans-Baikal territory, in the Ussuri region, the Amur region and on the island of Sakhalin. It is extremely rare for an owl to live in the east (in China and Japan). Outside of Russia, this bird lives in Northern Europe, the B altic and Scandinavia. But in Central Europe it is almost impossible to meet.
Tawny Owl mostly lives in forests. The most convenient place for it is mixed moist forests. However, the owl will not fly into a dense thicket. She prefers places near large clearings or clearings. In winter, when she lacks food, she may wander in search of a better place.
What does an owl eat?
The Ural Owl is a bird of prey by nature. And this means that the basis of her diet is animal food. These are mainly rodents: mice-voles. However, an owl can also hunt smaller prey, such as shrews, insects, frogs, and small birds. There are times when she chooses a large victim: a squirrel, a hare, a black grouse, a hazel grouse. As a rule, an owl arranges ambushes. She can watch her "dinner" for hours. How the tawny owl attacks larger prey is still unknown to researchers. The bird looks out for its prey from the height of a tree. Oddly enough, she has excellent eyesight. In hunting, an owl helps a lot with hearing. She may not see the victim - it is enough for her to hear it.
Tawny Owl Breeding
Researchers have not exactly decided on the timing of the mating season of the owl. Most likely, they depend on climatic conditions. Naturally, in the southern regions, the owl lays eggs earlier than in the northern ones. The mating seasonBirds begin with choosing a nest site. As a rule, she settles in hollows. Can be located in someone else's nest. Or build it on a tree. The Ural Owl lays eggs directly in the nest or hollow. As a rule, the masonry consists of two or four pieces.
As soon as an owl lays one egg, she starts to hatch it and does not go anywhere. She will never abandon her offspring. The bird hatches eggs for a little less than a month. During this period, she does not fly anywhere and the male becomes the food provider. Having been born, not all chicks survive. Several chicks usually grow to adulthood.
After birth, for a whole month, babies are silent and do not stick out anywhere. At this time, the male feeds the whole family. He brings the female food, and she divides it among the offspring. This period lasts about eight weeks until the young are mature.
Can I keep a tawny owl at home?
It has now become very fashionable to keep exotic animals or birds at home. Therefore, you can meet an owl in the apartment. But will the Ural Owl take root at home? As a rule, people buy owls at the fur market. It is difficult to pass by such a fluffy creature with big eyes. The owl is a very intelligent bird and is well tamed. She will easily learn to sit on your hands. They especially enjoy being petted on the head.
However, when starting such a bird, think: can you provide it with a decent content? longtailthe owl is a predatory species, which means that it needs to eat meat. But do not think that you will be able to feed your pet with pork or chicken. Let's remember what the Ural Owl eats in nature. What she eats in the wild, so you will have to feed her at home. So, every day you will need to give the bird mice. And it's not just a whim.
It's simple: the tawny owl's digestive system is designed in such a way that it needs to eat the whole rodent, including the skin and bones. Think about whether you can provide the right diet for the bird every day. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the owl is a nocturnal bird. Therefore, its main activity falls on the evening, night and early morning. It is at this time in natural conditions that the predator hunts. The same will happen at home. From evening to morning, the owl will swarm and rumble something, and during the day it will rest.
What conditions are required for maintenance?
If you are not afraid of night wakefulness and a specific diet, and the desire to have such a pet does not disappear, then you need to think about where you will keep it. Still, the owl has a decent size. And for an ordinary apartment, it is too big, because it will need a place to fly. Remember that the owl should not be kept in a cage. She will certainly beat her feathers or hurt her wax.
How to prepare a dwelling for an owl?
When preparing a room for an owl, you must first of all remove all unnecessary items from it, especially valuable to you. Do not forget: the bird has a powerful beak and claws, and therefore it can tearanything, dirty, knock over. In addition, birds love to play, and therefore you can not leave things unattended, you may miss something. In no case do not hang tulle on the windows. It needs to be replaced with thick curtains. In tulle, an owl can easily get tangled and break not only its wings, but also its legs. It also makes sense to remove the mirror, otherwise she will beat against it and be crippled.
Wooden sticks with a soft finish should be nailed onto the walls. This will simulate tree branches. Owls also love to swim, so it’s worth considering a place for a bath in advance. You can put a wide container of water in a convenient place, only it should be shallow.
Food for the Owl
Earlier we have already emphasized that the Ural Owl is a bird of prey. Therefore, you will have to purchase rodents for food. Carcasses of living creatures must be freshly killed. An indispensable condition for nutrition is fresh food, since frozen food loses a number of trace elements that are essential for poultry.
Rodents can be purchased at the store, but it is not cheap at all, and often there is a problem with the lack of the required amount of living creatures. After all, the owl will need at least two animals per day. Therefore, rodents can be bought in bulk at the bird market. Quails and day old chicks are also often sold there. They are good for feeding an owl. Mice and chickens can be given without any preparation, but quails need to be gutted and cut off the paws and head. This isdue to the fact that these birds often have diseases that are dangerous for owls.
If you are not afraid of the peculiarities of keeping an owl, then feel free to go to the nursery for a bird. Be sure to follow the execution of all documents for an owl in order to avoid problems in the future. We do not recommend purchasing a tawny owl on the market. It is better to do this in a nursery. There the birds are he althy and more tame. In addition, after the purchase, it is better to visit a veterinarian. We wish you good luck in choosing a feathered friend.
