My local pair of Ural Owls has started to court each other. This droprig recorded the so-called defensive call or song between 3 and 4AM this morning. It is not so often heard as their normal call but early in the mating season it can be heard more commonly. The recording ends with the harsh bark of the female effectively ending the courtship! Uppsala, February 27, 2023

The defensive call of the Ural Owl

Field sound recordist and archivist of vanishing sounds in natural Iandscapes. Highly commended in the Sound of the Year Awards 2024 - Best Natural Sound.

The defensive call of the Ural Owl

Bo Söderström