On December22,2008 the Ministry of Communications and Information of the Republic of Belarus will issue the set of 4 stamps “Birds of Belarus. Owls”prepared by the Publishing Centre “Marka” of the EUR “Belpochta”. The stamps are printed the logo of BLI, Bird Life International.
Eurasian eagle owl
The Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo) is a species of eagle owl resident in much of Europe and Asia. It is also one of the largest types of owls.The Eurasian Eagle-owl is a large and powerful bird which has a wingspan of 138–200 cm and measures 58–73 cm long.
It mainly feeds on small mammals, but can kill prey up to the size of foxes and young deer.The call of the Eagle Owl is a deep resonant “ooh-hu” with emphasis on the first syllable for the male, and a more high-pitched uh-Hu for the female.
The size, ear tufts and orange eyes make this a distinctive species. It has a strong direct flight. The ear tufts of males are more upright than those of females.The horned owls are a part of the larger grouping of owls known as the typical owls, Strigidae, which contains most species of owl.
The Eurasian Eagle-owl is largely nocturnal and is found in mountains and forests with cliffs and rocky areas, usually nesting on cliff ledges. They live for around 20 years although like many other bird species in captivity they can live much longer, perhaps up to 60 years.
