The owl is also called the Ural. Initially, this species was discovered precisely in the Urals, which is why this name was fixed. However, scientists disagree on the meaning of the word "owl." On the one hand, it is interpreted as an “insatiable creature,” since owls are indeed voracious. On the other hand, at the time of the birth of Christianity, there were bans on certain types of food, including a ban on owl. Hunting for it was prohibited.
Tawny owl: description
It should be noted that the owl is one of the largest representatives of its kind. She has no feathers on her ears, unlike other owls. In addition, the tawny owl has black eyes, light facial plumage and larger sizes than other species. This bird can be found throughout Russia, it is quite common. She prefers to hunt at night, but she can be seen even before sunset.
The long-tailed 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 to thirty centimeters. It is he who is the hallmark of this species. The plumage of the owl is light gray. On the back there are usually yellow blotches. The wings of the bird are yellowish-white, but darker than the tone of the body. The abdomen is very bright, sometimes even snow-white. The owl, like other owls, has feather eyebrows above its eyes. The paws of a bird are almost completely covered with plumage.
Females and males practically do not differ in appearance. In rare cases, it happens that the "boy" is smaller. The main pride of the owl is its long tail. Usually it is a little darker and covered with a pattern. The bird's eyes are almost black, and its beak is yellow. On claws are powerful claws. In flight, it seems that this is a large predator, although in fact an 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 habitats
The Great Gray Owl is a protected species, although it is quite common. It can be found in Lapland, the European part of the Russian Federation, Bashkiria and the Volga. And in Siberia, it is quite widespread. It can be seen in Altai, in the Sayan Mountains, in the Trans-Baikal Territory, in the Ussuri Territory, the Amur Region and on Sakhalin Island. Very rarely, an owl lives in the east (in China and Japan). Outside Russia, this bird lives in Northern Europe, the Baltic and Scandinavia. But in Central Europe it is almost impossible to meet.
The tailed owl predominantly lives in forests. The most convenient place for it is mixed moist forests. However, it will not fly into the thicket. She prefers places near large meadows or clearings. In winter, when she is short of food, she can roam in search of a better place.
What does an owl eat?
The long-tailed owl is by its nature a bird of prey. And this means that the basis of her diet is animal food. These are mainly rodents: mouse voles. However, an owl can also hunt for smaller prey, such as shrews, insects, frogs, small birds. There are times when she chooses a large victim: a squirrel, a hare, a black grouse, a hazel grouse. Typically, an owl ambushes. She can watch her "dinner" for hours. Researchers still do not know how the Great Owl attacks the larger prey. The bird looks out for its prey from the height of a tree. Oddly enough, but she has excellent vision. In hunting, an owl helps a lot. She may not see the victim - she just needs to hear her.
Owl reproduction
Researchers have not precisely decided on the dates of the mating owl. Most likely, they depend on climatic conditions. Naturally, in the southern regions, the owl lays clutch earlier than in the northern regions. The breeding season in a bird begins with the choice of a place for a nest. As a rule, it settles in hollows. It can also be located in a strange nest. Or build it on a tree. Lays long-tailed owl eggs right in the nest or hollow. As a rule, the masonry consists of two or four pieces.
As soon as an owl lays one egg, it begins to hatch it and does not go away anywhere. She will never abandon her offspring. The bird hatches eggs a little less than a month. During this period, she does not fly anywhere and the male becomes the food provider. Having been born, far from all chicks survive. Several chicks usually grow into adulthood.
After birth, the babies are silent for a month and do not protrude anywhere. At this time, the whole family feeds the male. He brings the female food, and she shares it between the offspring. This period lasts about eight weeks, until the young growth.
Is it possible to keep the owl at home?
At present, it has become very fashionable to keep exotic animals or birds at home. Therefore, you can meet an owl in the apartment. But will the long-tailed owl take root at home? As a rule, people acquire owls in the fur market. It’s hard to get past such a furry creature with big eyes. Owl is a very smart bird and is well tamed. She will easily learn to sit on your hands. They especially like being patted on the head.
However, when starting such a bird, think: can you provide it with decent content? The long-tailed 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 pork or chicken. Let us recall what the long-tailed owl eats in nature. What it eats in the wild, the more you have to feed it at home. So, every day you will need to give the bird mice. And this is not just a whim.
It's simple: the owl's digestive system is designed in such a way that it needs to eat the whole rodent together with the skin and bones. Think about whether you can daily provide the right diet for the bird. In addition, it should be borne in mind that the owl is a nocturnal bird. And therefore, its main activity occurs in the evening, night and early morning. It was at this time that a predator hunts in natural conditions. At home, the same thing will happen. From evening to morning, the owl will swarm and rumble with something, and in the afternoon - to rest.
What conditions are necessary for maintenance?
If you are not afraid of night waking 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’s too big, because it will need a place for flights. Remember that the owl cannot be kept in a cage. She will certainly hug her feathers or injure a wax.
How to prepare a house for owl?
When preparing a room for an owl, you must first remove all unnecessary items, especially valuable for you. Do not forget: the bird has a powerful beak and claws, and therefore it can tear anything, stain, knock over. In addition, birds love to play, and therefore you can’t leave things unattended, you can miss something. In no case do not hang the tulle on the windows. It needs to be replaced with thick curtains. In the tulle, the owl will easily get confused and break not only its wings, but also its legs. It also makes sense to remove the mirror, otherwise it will fight against it and cripple.
Wooden sticks with a soft coating should be nailed to the walls. This will mimic the branches of trees. Owls also love to swim, and therefore it is worthwhile to think over a place for a bath in advance. You can put in a convenient place a wide tank of water, only it should be shallow.
Food for predatory owl
Earlier, we emphasized that the long-tailed owl is a bird of prey. Therefore, you have to acquire rodents for food. Carcasses of animals should be just killed. An indispensable condition for food 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 this is not cheap, and often there is a problem with the lack of the right amount of livestock. After all, owl will need at least two animals a day. Because rodents can be bought in the bird market in bulk. Quails and daily chickens are often sold there. They are well suited for feeding an owl. Mice and chickens can be given without any preparation, but quails need to be gutted and cut off their legs and head. This is due to the fact that these birds often have diseases that are dangerous to owls.
If you are not afraid of the peculiarities of the owl, then feel free to go to the nursery for a bird. Be sure to follow the design of all the documents for an owl in order to avoid problems in the future. We do not recommend acquiring the owl in the market. It is better to do this in a nursery. There the birds are healthier and more tame. In addition, it is better to visit a veterinarian after your purchase. We wish you good luck in choosing a feathered friend.