FDC from Bulgaria／FDC de la Bulgarie

Fauna: Night birds of prey／
Faune : rapaces nocturnes

0.10 Leva - Eurasian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo)

The Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Europe and Asia.

The Eagle Owl is a large and powerful bird, smaller than the Golden Eagle but larger than the Snowy Owl. It is sometimes titled the world's largest owl, but so is the Blakiston's Fish Owl, which is slightly bigger on average. The Eagle Owl has a wingspan of up to 138-200 cm (55-79 in) and measures 58-73 cm (23-29 in) long. Females weigh 1.75-4.2 kg (3.9-9.4 lbs) and males weigh 1.5-3.2 kg (3.3-7 lbs). In comparison, the common Barn Owl weighs about 500 grams (1.1 lbs). It mainly feeds on small mammals, but can kill prey up to the size of foxes and young deer (up to 10 kg/22 lb), if taken by surprise. Larger prey (over 3 kg/7 lb) is consumed on the ground which leaves the bird vulnerable (for example to foxes).
Face of a female

The call of the Eagle Owl is a deep resonant “ooh-hu” with emphasis on the first syllable for the male, and a more high-pitched uh-Hu for the female (in German and Hungarian, the name of this bird is "Uhu" and the Dutch name is “Oehoe”). Each member of an Eagle Owl population can be identified by means of its vocalizations.

The size, ear tufts and orange eyes make this a distinctive species. It has a strong direct flight. The ear tufts of males are more upright than those of females.

The horned owls are a part of the larger grouping of owls known as the typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.
In winter.

The Eagle Owl is largely nocturnal and is found in mountains and forests with cliffs and rocky areas, usually nesting on cliff ledges. They live for around 20 years although like many other bird species in captivity they can live much longer, perhaps up to 60 years.

Although Eagle Owls are usually considered to be a bird of the wilderness, they have been observed hunting vermin on open landfills in Northern Europe. This poses a certain risk for the owls as any pollutants the rats they feed on have ingested may be enriched in the owls. Eagle Owls that hunt on landfills have also sometimes been seen flying with waste entangled around their feet.

Eagle Owls have also been observed living in European cities. Since 2005, at least five couples have nested in Helsinki. The number is expected to increase due to the growth of a wild rabbit population in Helsinki, most likely originating from released pet rabbits. In June 2007, an Eagle Owl nick-named 'Bubi' landed in the crowded Helsinki Olympic Stadium during the European Football Championship qualification match between Finland and Belgium. The match was interrupted for six minutes. After tiring of the match, following Jonathan Johansson's opening goal for Finland, the bird left the stadium. Finland's national football team have had the nickname Huuhkajat (Finnish for Eurasian Eagle-owls) ever since. The owl was named "Helsinki Citizen of the Year" in December 2007.

Le hibou grand-duc appelé aussi grand-duc d'Europe (Bubo bubo) est une des espèces de rapaces nocturnes les plus puissants d'Europe. Il ne doit pas être confondu avec le Grand-duc d'Amérique.

Avec ses 70 cm de haut, le grand-duc est le plus grand des rapaces nocturnes d'Europe : il fait le double de son congénère le hibou moyen-duc. Qualifiée d'aristocratique, sa silhouette est massive, Sa tête, piquée de deux gros yeux rouge-orangé est surmontée d'aigrettes de 8 cm environ (normalement horizontales et un peu repliées vers l'arrière), que l'oiseau dresse verticalement s'il est excité ou dérangé. Rappelons que ces aigrettes ne jouent aucun rôle dans l'audition.

* Mimétique aux branchages, son plumage est brun-roussâtre dessus, taché et rayé de brun noir. Le dessous est plus clair, fauve avec des stries longitudinales et des zébrures transversales de couleur brun foncé.
* Poids et mesures :
o Poids : 2 à 2,5 kg pour le mâle, et 2,5 à 3,3 kg pour la femelle ;
o Longueur : 65 à 70 cm ;
o Envergure : 160 à 180 cm.
* Voix : un « bouhou » ou un « ouhouhou-ou-ouhouhouhouhou » (d'où son nom latin, Bubo bubo) audible de loin, ainsi que toutes sortes d'autres bruits.
* Longévité : plus de 20 ans en liberté.

Un hibou grand-duc (Bubo bubo) appelé aussi grand-duc d'Europe, le plus grand des rapaces nocturnes d'Europe
Mœurs [modifier]

* Alimentation : sa nourriture est des plus variées : rongeurs, lapins, lièvres, hérissons, oiseaux (corbeaux, pigeons, perdrix, oiseaux marins..., et même d'autres rapaces diurnes et nocturnes). Pour ce faire, il n'hésite pas la nuit tombée à parcourir cent lieues : d'où l'expression « faire la tournée des grands ducs », appliquée le plus souvent à de joyeux noctambules, c'est-à-dire nous.
o Pelote de réjection : 10 cm de long.
* Habitat : répandu dans toute l'Europe en dehors de la partie la plus occidentale ; en France, zones rocheuses de l'est, du centre et du sud. On le rencontre aussi bien dans les plaines que dans les montagnes. Il aime particulièrement les falaises, près des plans d'eau.

Très discret, il s'installe sur des corniches rocheuses, sur les remparts d'un vieux château ou à même le sol ; parfois dans les régions du nord, dans un trou d'arbre mais sans aucun doute, sa préférence va aux grandes falaises proches d'un plan d'eau.

* Reproduction : fin mars, début avril, il construit un nid simplement garni de restes de poils ou de plumes arrachés à ses proies.

La femelle y pond 2 à 4 œufs qu'elle couve seule pendant 32 à 37 jours, tandis que le mâle lui apporte la nourriture. Une fois éclos, les petits sont protégés par la mère des intempéries, du soleil. Un mois et demi plus tard environ, les petits quittent le nid mais restent à proximité. À trois mois, ils savent parfaitement voler.

o Œuf: 51 à 73 x 42 à 54 mm

En Europe, il a longtemps été pourchassé comme oiseau de malheur ou parce qu'on croyait se protéger en le clouant sur les portes de granges, avant qu'on ne s'aperçoive de sa grande utilité écologique et agronomique et qu'il soit protégé par la loi. Les causes de sa disparition sont le recul, la dégradation ou la fragmentation écologique de son habitat, les pesticides agricoles, les poisons utilisés contre les rongeurs (bromadiolone notamment), les accidents dus aux véhicules et la pollution lumineuse, car il est très sensible à l'éblouissement des phares de voitures.

0.50 Leva - Little Owl (Athene noctua)

The Little Owl (Athene noctua) is a bird which is resident in much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Asia east to Korea, and north Africa. It is not native to Great Britain, but was first introduced in 1842, and is now naturalised there. It was also successfully introduced to the South Island of New Zealand in the early 20th century.

This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping is the barn owls, Tytonidae.

The Little Owl is a small owl, 23-27.5 cm in length. It takes prey such as insects, earthworms, amphibians, but also small birds and mammals. It is partly diurnal and often perches prominently during the day.

This is a sedentary species which is found in open country such as mixed farmland and parkland. It usually nests in holes in trees or rocks, laying 3-5 eggs which are incubated by the female for 28–29 days, with a further 26 days to fledging. Little Owls will also nest in buildings, both abandoned and those fitted with custom owl nest boxes. If living in an area with a large amount of human activity, Little Owls may grow used to man and will remain on their perch, often in full view, while humans are around.
Little Owl Athene noctua

The adult Little Owl of the most widespread form, the nominate A. n. noctua, is white-speckled brown above, and brown-streaked white below. It has a large head, long legs, and yellow eyes, and its white “eyebrows” give it a stern expression. This species has a bounding flight like a woodpecker. Juveniles are duller, and lack the adult's white crown spots. The call is a querulous kee-ik.

There is a pale grey-brown Middle Eastern type known as Syrian Little Owl A. n. lilith. Other forms include another pale race, the north African A. n. desertae, and three intermediate subspecies, A. n. indigena of southeast Europe and Asia Minor, A. n. glaux in north Africa and southwest Asia, and A. n. bactriana of central Asia. A recent paper in the ornithological journal Dutch Birding (vol. 31: 35-37, 2009) has advocated splitting the southeastern races as a separate species Lilith's Owl Athene glaux (with subspecies A. g. glaux, A. g. indigena, and A. g. lilith).

The Little Owl was sacred to the goddess Athena, from whom it gets the generic name.

La Chevêche d'Athéna ou Chouette chevêche (Athene noctua) est une espèce d'oiseau de petite taille à l'aspect trapu. La Chevêche d'Athéna n'est pas une chouette, nom réservée par le CINFO à d'autres espèces. C'est la plus diurne des strigidés, malgré son nom latin (Athene noctua). On peut l'observer en plein jour perchée sur des poteaux ou sur des toits, très attentive et faisant des « révérences ».

Elle présente un vol très onduleux. Elle se rencontre dans les milieux ouverts voire cultivés, niche dans les cavités des vieux arbres ou les bâtiments inoccupés, ou encore dans des terriers.

Elle doit son nom générique à la déesse Athéna dont elle est le symbole. Le logo de l'École nationale supérieure de l'aéronautique et de l'espace (SUPAERO) représente une Chevêche d'Athéna stylisée. Elle doit son nom générique à la déesse Athéna, dont elle est l'animal symbolique. Dans l'Antiquité grecque, la Chevêche d'Athéna, attribut d'Athéna, symbole de la Connaissance (la sagesse mais également la science) devint naturellement celui de la ville d'Athènes.

C'est l'une des espèces protégées qui a fait l'objet en France d'une politique de repeuplement actuellement en cours d'évaluation.

0.60 Leva - Ural Owl (Strix uralensis)

The Ural Owl (Strix uralensis ) is a medium-large nocturnal owl of the genus Strix, with up to 15 subspecies found in Europe and northern Asia.

The Ural Owl is smaller than the Great Grey Owl, and much larger than the Tawny Owl, which it superficially resembles. Distinguishing features apart from the size are the pale, buffish grey-brown plumage, with copious dark brown streaking on the back, back of the head and underparts. It has a round head with plain buffish-grey facial discs, orange-yellow bill and small black eyes. The tail is long and wedge-shaped, with dark barring on the uppertail, and the wings are rounded. Flight is direct and purposeful, recalling that of the Common Buzzard. Sexes are similar, with no seasonal variation. Size: 50–59 cm; Wingspan: Male 115 cm, female 125 cm; Weight: Male 540-730 g, female 720-1200 g.

The Ural Owl has an extended distribution area in Europe and Asia, from Sakhalin, Japan and Korea in the east to Scandinavia in the west. The northern border is at approximately 65 degrees north latitude, and the southern border follows the southern delimitation of the taiga. There are relict populations in the mountains of central Europe belonging to the subspecies S.u.macroura. Birds in northeast Poland and Scandinavia belong to the subspecies S.u.liturata, and those in western Siberia to the nominate race S.u. uralensis.

The northern populations of the Ural Owl occupy similar habitat to the Great Grey Owl, nesting in lowland forests but avoiding dense areas, especially those of purely conifers. In central Europe it is an upland species, preferring deciduous woodland. It usually occupies open woodland and is more often found in moist rather than dry areas. It nests in hollow tree trunks, occasionally in old raptor nests, and increasingly in nestboxes. It normally lays two to four eggs, which hatch after 27–34 days. The young leave the nest after about four weeks, but will not fly until about six weeks old. It is a very aggressive owl, chasing other birds of prey from its territory, and it will attack human intruders, especially when young are present.

The Ural Owl feeds on rodents and medium-sized to large birds such as Jays and Willow Grouse, although normally only up to the size of a Woodpigeon. Its territorial call, which can carry up to two kilometres, is a soft, deep 'wo-ho….. woho uhwo-ho'. Birds also give unmistakable yapping ' wau - wau ' calls, which are delivered by both sexes.

La Chouette de l'Oural (Strix uralensis) est une espèce de rapaces de la famille des Strigidae. Cet oiseau de proie nocturne peut ressembler à la Chouette hulotte, et se rencontre à l'est de l'Europe, appréciant les forêts profondes. L'espèce n'est pas menacée.

1.50 Leva - Eurasian Pygmy Owl (Glaucidium passerinum)

The Eurasian Pygmy Owl, Glaucidium passerinum, is the smallest owl in Europe. These owls are a dark reddish to greyish-brown, with spotted sides and half of a white ring around the back of their neck.

The owl preys on birds – some nearly as large as itself – and small mammals, such as voles.

It is found in the boreal forests of Northern and Central Europe to Siberia, usually at the edges of clearings. It nests in old Woodpecker holes, often those of the Great Spotted Woodpecker.

This is a sedentary species, meaning that adults are resident throughout the year in its range. The exception would be during harsh winters, when the adults may move south. Young of the species usually move in autumn or winter. In the wild Eurasian Pygmy Owls may live six to seven years and sometimes even longer in captivity.

This Starling-sized bird hunts at dawn, dusk, and even daytime, rather than in total darkness.

La Chevêchette d'Europe (Glaucidium passerinum), anciennement Chouette chevêchette, est la plus petite espèce des strigidés européennes. Sa taille est d'environ 16 cm. Elle est en partie diurne et consomme de petits oiseaux qu'elle chasse au vol. On la rencontre le plus souvent dans les forêts de conifères des régions montagneuses. Son aire de répartition est plutôt continentale et nord-européenne.