Bubo
bubo
Tiksi
is a young Eurasian Eagle Owl, bred and handreared at the Centre,
in 2010. He is a spectacular flier, once you can get him motivated!
These owls are notoriously difficult to fly in displays as they
are so.......... lazy!
In
the wild they require really small amounts of food to maintain
their body weight, and their large size belies their dietary
requirements!
The
largest females may weigh as much as 4kg, whereas the males
are a lot smaller. Our 'little' Tiksi weighs in at around 2kgs!
Eurasian
Eagle Owls are unfortunately often destined to poor homes as
many falconers like to keep them for their size with little
knowledge about their requirements. They are majestic birds,
and deserve the respect of good husbandry and an understanding
of their natural behaviour.
Tiksi
is certainly a favourite amongst our visitors, and a delight
to watch flying.
In
their natural environment Eurasian Eagle Owls select a rocky
outcrop for nesting and roosting, usually overlooking clear
mountain slopes below. As they sit and wait for food, unsuspecting
prey below will suddenly be attacked in a rapid silent swoop
and pounce from above.
They
will often defend very large territories of up to several square
kilometers, and may take prey up to the size of a small roe
deer, or as small as a sparrow. As with most birds of prey territory
size is dependent on food availability.
Sadly
these huge birds often get caught in overhead power cables that
run across their wide open spaces.
