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Birds

Birds

Common name Eurasian eagle-owl
Scientific name Bubo bubo
Type Cliff-nesting birds
Status Resident

Bulky, large nocturnal raptor (about 75 cm or 2.5 ft), with large head and a crest of feathers that look like ears. Orange and large eyes. Large wings (wingspan approx 190 cm or 6 ft), powerful claws and fawn brown plumage in general, very cryptic, a little lighter and striated in the underparts. Feathered claws and tarsi (lower legs).

Habitats

Rocky environments

Where it lives

Very adaptable species that occupies almost all types of habitats. Present in forest areas, rocky cliffs, ravines, screes, mountain areas, tree crops and even in steppe and semi-desert areas.

How it lives

Frequent species and resident all year round in Malaga. The breeding begins in January with a single laying of two to five eggs. It nests in rocky walls, ledges and crevices, but also takes advantage of nests of other raptors or tree holes. The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is an apex predator that feeds on a great variety of mammals, all kinds of birds and even other raptors. Its favorite prey are rabbits and corvids and in periurban environments it is a voracious predator of cats.

Where it can be seen in Malaga

Difficult to see and easier to hear, especially during the mating season in the middle of the winter, due to its characteristic long-distance audible and deep complaints. In the Great Path it is present in many stages, especially in those of rocky habitats. For example, in stages 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32 and 33.

Curious facts

Eurasian eagle-owls have experienced a great population boom in the last decades, being abundant at present. They act as a controller of populations of other predators, both raptors and carnivores.

Present
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
Wintering Summer Resident Migration
Audios