Details
Strix nebulosa
A large boreal owl with a huge round facial disk and small yellow eyes, locating rodents beneath snow by sound.
Map: Ecoregions 2017 © RESOLVE (CC BY 4.0) · Natural Earth (PD)
Lives in northern conifer forest, wet openings, clearings, and bog edges, needing open hunting areas near nesting woods.
The bird looks massive because of thick feathers, though it is not extremely heavy. Fine gray barring, a large facial disk, and a white throat patch stand out.
It watches quietly from perches and plunges onto prey hidden under snow or grass. Activity is strongest from dusk through night.
Voles and other small mammals dominate. When prey is scarce, birds may wander widely to find better hunting areas.
Old raptor or corvid nests and broken tree tops are used, with little extra material added. Chicks depend on prey delivered by adults.
Globally low-risk; forest management that retains old nesting structures and nearby open hunting habitat is important.
