Strix uralensis -- Pallas, 1771ANIMALIA -- CHORDATA -- AVES -- STRIGIFORMES -- STRIGIDAECommon names: Ural Owl;

European Red List AssessmentEuropean Red List Status

LC -- Least Concern, (IUCN version 3.1)

Assessment InformationYear published: 2015Date assessed: 2015-03-31Assessor(s): BirdLife InternationalReviewer(s): Symes, A.Compiler(s): Ashpole, J., Burfield, I., Ieronymidou, C., Pople, R., Wheatley, H. & Wright, L.Assessment RationaleEuropean regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)EU27 regional assessment: Least Concern (LC)

In Europe this species has an extremely large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend appears to be increasing, and hence the species does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in Europe.

Within the EU27 this species has a very large range, and hence does not approach the thresholds for Vulnerable under the range size criterion (Extent of Occurrence 10% in ten years or three generations, or with a specified population structure). The population trend is not known, but the population is not believed to be decreasing sufficiently rapidly to approach the thresholds under the population trend criterion (30% decline over ten years or three generations). For these reasons the species is evaluated as Least Concern in the EU27.

OccurrenceCountries/Territories of OccurrenceNative:Albania; Austria; Belarus; Bosnia and Herzegovina; Bulgaria; Croatia; Czech Republic; Estonia; Finland; Germany; Hungary; Italy; Latvia; Lithuania; Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of; Montenegro; Norway; Poland; Romania; Russian Federation; Serbia; Slovakia; Slovenia; Spain; Sweden; Ukraine

PopulationThe European population is estimated at 50,000-143,000 pairs, which equates to 99,900-286,000 mature individuals. The population in the EU27 is estimated at 17,000-28,400 pairs, which equates to 34,000-56,800 mature individuals. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

TrendIn Europe the population size is estimated to be increasing. In the EU27 the population size trend is unknown. For details of national estimates, see Supplementary PDF.

Habitats and Ecology

The species occupies boreal forest and mixed woodland, with some open areas such as bogs, clearings or small fields, however, in central Europe, it is confined to deciduous woods, particularly of beech (Fagus sylvatica), in mountain areas. It is often found near human dwellings and also in pastureland (Holt et al. 1999). It is monogamous (König 2008) and breeds from February to July. It nests in tree holes or hollow stumps and will often use nestboxes. Also sometimes nest in cliff cavities or buildings, old raptor nests, crow nests (Corvus) or squirrel dreys (Sciurus) and rarely on ground (Holt et al. 1999). Clutches are usually three to four eggs. Its diet is made up of a large variety of mammals, birds, frogs, and insects, with voles, shrews,

mice and rats as the main prey (König 2008). The species is extremely sedentary (Mikkola 1983).

Habitats & AltitudeHabitat (level 1 - level 2) Importance Occurrence

Artificial/Terrestrial - Pastureland suitable residentArtificial/Terrestrial - Rural Gardens suitable residentForest - Boreal major residentForest - Temperate suitable residentWetlands (inland) - Bogs, Marshes, Swamps, Fens, Peatlands suitable residentAltitude 450-1600 m Occasional altitudinal limits

Threats

In areas dominated by open areas, such as fields and clearfells, the Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) outcompetes this species (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997). It also suffers from forestry management, which has resulted in the loss of hollow and broken trees which provide nesting sites (König 2008).

Threats & ImpactsThreat (level 1) Threat (level 2) Impact and Stresses

Agriculture & aquaculture

Agro-industry plantations

Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact

StressesEcosystem degradation

Invasive and other problematic species, genes & diseases

Eurasian Eagle-owl (Bubo bubo)

Timing Scope Severity ImpactOngoing Minority (<50%) Negligible declines Low Impact

StressesCompetition

Conservation

Conservation Actions Underway

CITES Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II. EU Birds Directive Annex I. Thousands of nestboxes have been erected in Finland and Sweden to mitigate the loss of chimney-like stumps and old trees with cavities, through modern forestry practices (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

Conservation Actions Proposed

Nest boxes are important for the conservation of this species (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997) and thus should continue to be provided to prevent future declines (Holt et al. 1999). Research should focus on the species’s taxonomy and the ecological hierarchy, in Fennoscandia, between this species and Tawny Owls (Strix aluco) (König 2008).

BibliographyHagemeijer, W.J.M. and Blair, M.J. 1997. The EBCC Atlas of European Breeding Birds: Their Distribution and Abundance. T & A D Poyser, London.

BibliographyHolt, W., Berkley, R., Deppe, C., Enríquez Rocha, P., Petersen, J.L., Rangel Salazar, J.L., Segars, K.P. and Wood, K.L. 1999. Ural Owl (Strix uralensis). In: del Hoyo, J., Elliott, A., Sargatal, J., Christie, D.A. and de Juana, E. (eds.) 2014. Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive. Lynx Edicions, Barcelona. (retrieved from http://www.hbw.com/node/55042 on 11 March 2015).König, C., Weick, F. and Becking, J.-H. 2008. Owls of the world. A&C Black.Mikkola, H. 1983. Owls of Europe. T & A.D. Poyser, London.

Map (see overleaf)