Site Updated : 18/08/08

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CLUNK

European Eagle Owl - Bubo bubo

Clunk is a female European Eagle Owl, hatched in 1992. After Boo, she is the second largest Owl at The Raptor Foundation. She spent much of her early life hunting for rabbits with her first owner. Unfortunately, she developed a hip injury, possibly due to hitting rabbits at speed. Clunk was donated to The Raptor Foundation and has been retired from hunting, but is now a stellar part of the flying team. When tethered in her weathering, she had the knack of untying her leash and one day took herself off for a week. She was eventually caught near Tesco's (it was thought she had gone there to get donuts for Liz).

Once native to the UK, the European Eagle Owl is now found throughout Europe, Russia, the Middle East and Asia. Some have been found breeding as far south as the Sahara.

BONES

Indian Eagle Owl - Bubo bengalensis

Bones is a light phased Indian Eagle Owl and has been at The Raptor Foundation since 1996 but we really have no way of knowing his age, other than that he is an elderly gentleman. Bones got his name because he wouldn't initially sit on the glove, he would hang from it like a bag of bones. He is now retired from the flying team.

Although significantly smaller, the Indian Eagle Owl was considered a subspecies of the European Eagle Owl, until recent DNA testing have shown that it is a distinct species. The Indian Eagle Owl is found throughout most of the Indian subcontinent, as far north as the Himalayas.

ELMO

Great Horned Owl - Bubo virginianus

Elmo is a male Canadian Great Horned Owl, much paler than the American Great Horned Owl. He was hatched in 1989 and came to us after his owner was forced to get rid of him due to a court order. He had been placed in an ideal large aviary but he sat and screeched for weeks on end until the neighbours had had enough of him. Instead of selling him, his owner decided to give him to The Raptor Foundation, so that he could visit and see him whenever he wanted to. Since arriving, he has become much quieter, and despite his fear of heights, he is a strong member of the flying team and always reliable for a good display.

Great Horned Owls are found throughout the North and South American continents, from Alaska, through Canada and down to the southernmost tip of South America. They are related to the European Eagle Owls but are quite a bit smaller.

HENRY

Magellan Horned Owl - Bubo magellanicus

Henry was hatched in 1989 and until March 2001 was considered to be a male owl, this view changed very rapidly when Henry laid two eggs. Henry was a breeder's reject, deemed to be too stupid to be of any use; she had actually become too imprinted on people to consider breeding with other owls, she is now one of our best fund-raising birds.

The Magellan Horned Owl is a South American species related to the Great Horned Owls found in both North and South America. Until recent DNA testing, it was considered a subspecies of the Great Horned Owl, but is now considered a separate species. They tend to live in the foothills and highland forests of the Andes and along to the Magellan Straits.