Page 56 - Animals of the Sakhalin Region in myths and legends
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Owl, Northern hawk-owl
(Surnia ulula)
Body length — 35–43 cm, wingspan — 60–80 cm. Light chest and belly with
a «hawkish» pattern. The small head also resembles that of a hawk, especially in
coloring. The facial disc is not clearly marked. There is a black spot above the
beak. The back is brownish with smaller white spots on the head. The tail is long,
there are no feather «ears» on the head. The eyes and beak are yellow.
Most often, voles, lemmings and mice serve as prey. With their deficiency,
they can catch squirrels, small birds, sometimes they successfully attack grouse,
ptarmigan and even black grouse. They are active mainly at dusk, but they hunt
during the day.
The nesting area is island Sakhalin. Inhabits the entire territory of the island,
but extremely unevenly. General distribution: Europe, Asia, North America.
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