Hawk Owl
| Class: Aves: Birds |
Diet: Small mammals |
| Order:
Strigiformes: Owls |
| Size: 36
- 43 cm (14 1/4 - 17 in) |
| Family: Strigidae:
Owls |
Conservation Status:
Non-threatened |
| Scientific Name:
Surnia ulula |
Habitat: open areas
in coniferous forest |
| Range:
Canada, extreme Northern USA, Northern Asia, Scandinavia |
 The
hawk owl is easily recognized by its tail, which is longer than usual for
owls, and by its pale facial disk, bordered with black. Its wings are fairly
short and pointed, giving it a hawklike appearance in flight. It hunts
by day, watching from a perch in the trees then flying down after prey.
It feeds on mice, lemmings, squirrels and other small mammals, as well
as on birds and some insects. Nesting takes place from April to June,
depending on the area, and the clutch size varies annually according to
the food supply. The female lays her eggs, usually 5 or 6 but sometimes
up to 9, in the hollow top of a tree stump or in an abandoned nest or woodpecker
hole. The eggs are incubated for 25 to 30 days, mostly by the female.
  
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