Mythical, Wise, and Dangerous
The Eurasian eagle owl is the symbol of the University of Bergen. It represents wisdom and knowledge. Now, this most dangerous of predators is itself threatened with extinction.
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Is the Eurasian eagle owl wise?
鈥� I honestly have no idea. Not that听it has any reason to be wise, with its听extreme characteristics, says ornithologist and UiB graduate H氓vard听Huseb酶.
In reality the Eurasian eagle owl,听or the hubro as it鈥檚 known in Norwegian, isn鈥檛 particularly intelligent听compared to other birds. What sets听the owl apart is its clear vision and听sharp hearing. But this shy bird is听now endangered. The number of听eagle owls is decreasing, and the听maximum number is currently estimated at 500 couples. Norwegian听ornithologists are worried.
Since 2008, Huseb酶 has surveyed听eagle owls in Norway鈥檚 Hordaland听province for the Norwegian Ornithological Society (NOF). NOF wants听to identify the size of the population听in the areas where the eagle owl is听most common, and are conducting the most听comprehensive field听research ever.
Both loved and hated
NOF are not the only ones who feel for听the eagle owl. Many have been emotional about this wide-eyed bird, with听its diabolical looks. The owl has never听wanted for attention, sometimes at听the expense of other birds, such as听the rather less glamorous crows.
芦The Eurasian eagle owl is the听largest, most mythical, and most听feared of all owls. Hated by all other听creatures with wings,禄 the zoologist听Edvard K. Barth wrote in 1958.
According to historians, people听of olden times believed that when听the eagle owl let its sinister scream听sound in the large Norwegian forests听or along the coast, it was a sign of听ghosts, accidents, or other terrible听things to come. The scream sounded听like a person in mortal terror.
In ancient Rome people were听afraid of owls, and the arrival of owls听inside the city walls was an ominous听sign. The Athenians however loved听their owls, and on the Acropolis they听were worshiped and regarded as wise听and prudent 鈥� not unlike the views听held of the owl in Norwegian folklore.
Electrocuted owls
The Norwegian Directorate听for Nature听Management (NDNM) is currently听working to save the Norwegian population of the world鈥檚 largest owl. The听broad-winged bird is particularly听vulnerable to lethal electrical shock听when it perches on power poles.
鈥� The eagle owl is electrocuted听when it comes into contact with two听wires at the same time. The number听of owls dying this way is large enough听that it affects the total numbers of the听owl population, says Huseb酶.
In 2009, the NDNM started a test听project with perches, so that the eagle听owl could sit safely on power poles.听This project has shown some promising early results.
The perfect predator
The impressions Huseb酶 gets when听he鈥檚 able to get up close to the eagle听owl on the wind-swept islands outside of Bergen, is of a majestic and听impressive bird. But its extremely听sharp senses also make the eagle听owl the perfect predator.
鈥� The eagle owl is at the top of the听food chain and is omnivorous, eating听everything: seagulls, crows, rodents,听and sometimes even other owls! The听owl will usually perch on a hilltop to听get an overview. When the owl sees听its prey, it will drop down, fly along听the ground, and launch a surprise听attack. Frankly, it is a cold-blooded听assassin, says Huseb酶.
Huseb酶 himself has however听rarely seen the owl鈥檚 bloodthirst in听real life.
鈥� I have spotted it launching a听surprise attack on its prey. But the听owl is a nocturnal creature, so despite听all the time I spend surveying the听owl population, I don鈥檛 really get to听see that much of it, Huseb酶 admits.
What鈥檚 in a name
In Norway, the Eurasian eagle owl is听known as the hubro. Its Latin name听however is Bubo bubo, obviously听inspired by the characteristic sound听it makes. The same applies to its听German popular name, der Uhu.听According to Huseb酶, the owl鈥檚 song听can be heard from as far as four听kilometres away.
鈥� The owl needs to be a rough听guy to survive life on the wind-swept听islands on the coast of Western Norway. But it is a very shy bird and not听easy to spot. Its ideal place to build a听nest is usually on a rock face where听humans can鈥檛 easily reach it, the听ornithologist says.
If the owl finds a decent spot for听nesting, this spot can be handed down听for generations. Some nests can be听traced back to the 1800s, including听some with traces of musket bullets听in them. This just goes to show that听the eagle owl has had its reasons for听staying shy of humans.
鈥� Like most predator birds, the听eagle owl has been widely hunted. In听old legends and myths, the owl has听been described as the devil鈥檚 helper,听and viewed as demonic. Given its听large eyes and plumes that look like听horns, this is probably not surprising,听Huseb酶 says.
This article was first printed in UiB's research and education magazine听Hubro international edition 2012/2013.听Translated from the Norwegian by Sverre Ole Dr酶nen.
FACTS/THE EURASIAN EAGLE OWL
鈥� Its norwegian name is hubro, and in Latin听the owl is known as Bubo bubo.
鈥� The eagle owl is the largest of all owls,听and can weigh up to four kilos and reach a听
height of 75 centimetres.
鈥� The eagle owl is found in most parts of听the Eurasian geographical continent. The species is also found in North Africa.
鈥� In Norway, the eagle owl is mainly found听along the coast, from the Agder region in听the south to the province of Nordland in听the north.
鈥� The eagle owl鈥檚 diet consists of all types of听vertebrates, from small rodents to hare,听
rabbits, and seagulls.
鈥� Occasionally the eagle owl will also add听the odd owl or other predator birds to听
its diet.
鈥� The eagle owl uses hilltops or treetops to听scout for its prey, and is known as a coldblooded predator.
听
