Boreal owl in a forest in Central Europe

Boreal owl

Today's image features a boreal owl, one of the smallest and most elusive members of the owl family. This compact bird has a round head without ear tufts, striking yellow eyes framed by a pale facial disc, brown upperparts speckled with white and cream-coloured underparts streaked with russet brown. Males measure about 25 centimetres in length with a wingspan of almost 60 centimetres, while females are slightly larger, around 30 centimetres long, with a wingspan over 60 centimetres.

Found across northern North America and Eurasia, boreal owls favour dense coniferous and mixed forests. Mostly active at night, they are highly secretive, using their sharp hearing and vision to hunt small mammals such as voles and mice and occasionally birds or large insects. In spring, they nest in tree cavities, old woodpecker holes or nest boxes, laying three to seven eggs, with females incubating while males bring food. Conservation of their forest habitats remains vital to ensure these elusive owls continue to thrive.