Eurasian eagle-owl in Great Britain facts for kids
The Eurasian eagle-owl is a very large and powerful owl. For a long time, people didn't think these owls lived naturally in Britain. However, there is now proof that they were native to the UK many years ago.
In 2005, a TV show reported that a pair of eagle-owls had been breeding for several years. They lived in a valley on land owned by the Ministry of Defence in North Yorkshire. People wondered if these owls had escaped from captivity or if they had flown there naturally from places like France, the Low Countries, or Scandinavia.
By the time the TV show was made, this pair had raised 20 young owls. Three more young were still in their nest. Nobody knew what happened to the 20 young owls, except that one sadly died after touching power lines in Shropshire.
Another eagle-owl was seen many times in Heaton, Bolton, Greater Manchester. This owl was reported to have died in April 2007. It might have eaten a small animal that had been poisoned, which then made the owl sick.
In May 2007, the BBC reported another pair of eagle-owls nesting in Lancashire, England. They were very protective of their young and would try to scare away people walking dogs on a nearby path.
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Eagle-Owls Becoming More Common
A TV show in 2007 shared that the eagle-owl is becoming more common in the UK. It seems they are starting to live and breed successfully there. This is similar to how the buzzard population has grown quickly recently. Eagle-owls and buzzards share some things, like the types of food they eat and the places they like to live.
Challenges for Eagle-Owls
As more eagle-owls have started to breed in the wild, some people have become worried. They believe these large owls could be a danger to native birds and young farm animals. Because of these worries, some new eagle-owls have sadly been killed. This includes the female owl in North Yorkshire who had successfully raised 23 young. She died in January 2006. The World Owl Trust said this act was "disgraceful."
Where Eagle-Owls Are Found Now
A new pair of eagle-owls in the Forest of Bowland, Lancashire, has gained public attention. They successfully raised three young owls that learned to fly. There have also been reports of two more pairs of eagle-owls in the local area. Another pair was reported to be breeding chicks in Northumberland in 2005.
Eagle-owls have also been confirmed to be breeding in Scotland. Wild owls have been seen in Galloway, Invernesshire, Sutherland, and Slough. The World Owl Trust now thinks that the eagle-owl should be added to the British Ornithologists Union's official list of British birds. This shows how important the increase in wild eagle-owl pairs in Britain has become.
See also
In Spanish: Búho real para niños
