Richardson's Owl

(Aegolius funereus), a bird of the family Strigidae. It is about 26 cm long and weighs about 100 g. The plumage is light brown with light spots above and whitish with dark markings below. The Richardson’s owl is distributed in Europe, Asia, and North America. In the USSR it is found in the taiga and mountain forests of the Carpathians, the Caucasus, and Middle Asia. The owl inhabits coniferous forests and, less frequently, mixed forests. It nests in tree hollows, primarily those made by the black woodpecker. There are four to six eggs (sometimes as many as eight) per clutch. The female incubates the eggs for 25 to 31 days. The Richardson’s owl feeds on small rodents and shrews; less frequently, it preys on birds, frogs, and insects. The owl sometimes stores food in the winter.