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

The Ural Owls have not yet laid eggs which is later than normal. The weather has *not* been favorable these last few weeks... In this droprig recording, you first hear the male calling and then the female. After 2 minutes you can hear them mating. Uppsala. April 6, 2023. Photo: Erik Karits

Ural Owls calling and mating

September is an excellent month for listening to owls. The local pair of Ural Owls had an active night and uttered most of their reportoire between 1 AM and 4 AM as can be heard in this droprig recording. Nåsten, Uppsala. September 18, 2023.

A potpourri of Ural Owl calls

We have high hopes that 2024 will be a good year for owls in Uppland. Last night I set up the droprig to hopefully record a resident Great Grey Owl in Nåsten. I was not successful but had an excellent night despite this. The Ural Owls called through the night and also mated. In this recording you can first hear the male and in the end both the male and female with their courtship calls. During the night I also had Pygmy Owl, Tawny Owl and Eagle Owl on my recordings, so a good night overall! 
Uppsala, February 25, 2024.

Ural Owl calling and courtship

In the territory of this Jay you can find breeding Ural Owls and Tawny Owls. This recording shows how good jays are imitating other birds, the call of the Tawny Owl could be better but the harsh call of the female Ural Owl is uncannily close to the real deal. Nåsten, Uppsala. April 19, 2024.

Zooom F3 + Mikro Usi Pro

Jay imitating Ural Owl

Beware of the flying capercaillie, 5 kilos on the move, after less than a minute. Otherwise quite a strange mix of species this morning: bitterns, ural owls, and capercaillies... 
Fiby, Uppsala. April 23, 2024.

Lewitt 440 pure + Mixpre 3ii

A strange mix of bird species

Most likely the Ural Owls in my home forest are not breeding this year for unknown reasons since there are quite many rodents. The female was calling from midnight to 01:30 but no male answered. Perhaps he has passed away?

Nåsten, Uppsala. May 18, 2024.

A lone female Ural Owl calling at midnight

A recording from last night near my favourite forest pond. The recording starts off with a family of long-tailed tits, then blackbirds and robins take their night baths, and two noisy flocks of canada geese pass by.

Nåsten, Uppsala. September 18, 2024.

Autumn dusk chorus

Around midnight a Tawny Owl was calling in the distance and that made the resident female Ural Owl grumpy. First a short burst of horrifying alarm calls, then almost raven-like barks, and ending with female song. I have not heard the male in 2024 so that may explain the grumpiness, or perhaps it is because an Eagle Owl has visited her territory lately. 

Uppsala. October 2, 2024.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM 272

Female Ural Owl somewhat annoyed

This year we have probably more successful breeding attempts of Great Grey Owl than Ural Owls in Uppland but this morning I stumbled upon one successful nest of Ural Owl. The recording starts of with the typical owl warning call of a Common Blackbird that has discovered the fledged owlets. After about 19 minutes you will hear the female uttering one single warning call and shortly thereafter she delivers food to the young. Otherwise you will hear a closeup roding Woodcock.

Siggefora, Uppland. June 27, 2025.
Zoom F3 + Clippy EM272

Owlets of 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.

New tracks tagged #Strix uralensis