Scientific name:
Asio Otus

Natural spread:
Asia, North-Africa, North America, Northern Europe

the forest-ear-owls is not so world-wide widespread, as that with them close to relatives swamp-ear-owls, with whom they are summarized together in a type (Asio) and subfamily (codgers and ear-owls). they are missing in South America; either, they are not native in Eurasia like those so far south and especially north. However, they occur in North-Africa for it; further African populations are controversial in its demarcation.

Shape With 36 cm of length and on average 300 g, weight remain forest-ear-owls smaller than swamp-ear-owls. However, the high feather-ears, that (differently than with the eagle-owl) are raised steeply, are the most important difference. Also, forest-ear-owls appear slimmer and narrow-headed than swamp-ear-owls and forest-codgers.

Way of life In its way of life, they show strong contrasts to the swamp-ear-owl. As hatcheries, they prefer forest-areas; also smaller groves and even parks offer coverage sufficiently to the forest-ear-owls. its boys move it in abandoned gripping-bird and crow-eyries, more rarely also in the Kobeln of squirrels on. Only as an exception, they put its 4-6, sometimes also 8 eggs in flat ground-hollows from. As hunt-area for its nightly expeditions, the forest-ear-owl prefers open terrain; during the day, it hides in treetops and appears extremely unwillingly without coverage. If one disturbs it on, so the owl makes itself quite slim and sits motionlessly; through its bark-colored plumage, it merges completely with its surroundings. The brood-duration amounts to 27-28 days; after further 23-26 days, the squabs leave the nest.

Field-mice and near relatives types amount the main-part of the loot; only in bad "mouse-years", the forest-ear-owl catches also smaller birds and other small vertebrates. As also the swamp-ear-owl, it often pulls up 2 yearly-broods in "fat years." Both types take over an important role in the continuance-regulation of Kleinnagern and earn unbedingten protection.