# Ural Owl (*Strix uralensis*) The Ural Owl is a beautiful bird with big, round eyes and soft, gray feathers. They love to hunt at night and can be found in forests where they make their homes in tree holes. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests ![Ural Owl](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/2012-11-01_Ural_Owl%252C_Novosibirsk_Oblast%252C_Russia.jpg&width=800) Photo: Tatiana Bulyonkova from Novosibirsk, Russia, CC BY-SA 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2012-11-01_Ural_Owl%252C_Novosibirsk_Oblast%252C_Russia.jpg) ## Appearance The Ural Owl is a large, pale grey-brown owl with distinct dark streaking on its underside. It has a rounded head, prominent facial disc, and lacks ear tufts, setting it apart from many other large owls. Its striking yellow eyes and beak contrast with its muted plumage. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Strigiformes - **Family:** Strigidae - **Genus:** Strix ## Interesting facts - Mother owls are very brave, fiercely protecting their eggs and fluffy young owlets! - They sometimes use old squirrel nests or abandoned hawk nests for their owlets! - This owl's piercing scream can sound like a scary warning in the quiet forest. - Ural Owls can hunt small prey even when it's hidden deep under snow. ## Special abilities - **Silent Hunter:** Ural Owl can glide silently through forests because of special soft feathers that absorb sound, helping them ambush prey. - **Super Hearing:** Ural Owl has asymmetrical ears that help them pinpoint tiny sounds, allowing them to hunt even when it's totally dark. - **Head Swivel:** Ural Owl can turn its head almost 270 degrees in either direction, helping them scan their surroundings without moving their body. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 50-65 cm - **Wingspan:** 105-135 cm - **Weight:** 0.5-1.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-25 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-4 - **Incubation:** 28-34 days ## Diet & Feeding These nocturnal hunters love munching on small mammals and birds in the forest! - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Shrews, Small birds, Frogs, Young rabbits - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Field Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-vole) (*Microtus agrestis*) — A primary small mammal food source. - **Hunts:** Wood Mouse (*Apodemus sylvaticus*) — Another frequent and important prey species. - **Depends on:** [Common Buzzard](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-buzzard) (*Buteo buteo*) — Often reuses their abandoned nests for breeding. - **Eaten by:** [Eurasian Eagle-Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eurasian-eagle-owl) (*Bubo bubo*) — Larger owls can sometimes prey on adult Ural Owls. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. - [Endangered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/endangered): Endangered status indicates a species is at a very high risk of extinction in the wild in the near future. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see an owl, watch quietly from a distance. They are wild animals and should not be approached. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Ural Owl? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Ural Owl? 50-65 cm ### What is Ural Owl's wingspan? 105-135 cm ### How much does Ural Owl weigh? 0.5-1.3 kg ### How long does Ural Owl live? 15-25 years ### How fast can Ural Owl move? 40 km/h ### What does Ural Owl eat? These nocturnal hunters love munching on small mammals and birds in the forest! ### Where is Ural Owl usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Ranuan Eläinpuisto](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/ranuan-el-inpuisto) — Lapland, FI · Zoo - [Naturpark Steinwald](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/steinwald-nature-park) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Odaesan National Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/odaesan-national-park) — KR · Park [View all places to see Ural Owl](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/ural-owl) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Ural Owl: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ural-owl)