Ural Owl

The Great Snowy Owl

The Ural owl lives in the boreal forests of Scandinavia and Russia. Its plumage is thick in these regions. It is also found in the forests of the Balkans, where its plumage is browner.

The Ural Owl is crepuscular and nocturnal. During the mating season, it may be active in broad daylight. It nests in a hollow tree or in an old raptor’s nest. It is highly territorial, especially during the nesting season, and does not hesitate to attack intruders. This has even earned it its Swedish name, which refers to its aggressiveness.

In German, its name refers to the resemblance of its striped tail feathers to those of the Northern Goshawk (a bird of prey closely related to the buzzard).