What kind of owl is this?

Kenai

Kenai

Kenai

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Anyone have any ideas?
 
My dad found it looking rather bedraggled and seemingly unable (or unwilling) to fly at his workshop this morning
 
My first guess would be a screech owl, though I don't think you get them in the UK iirc. Similar to a barred owl, but again not sure you get them in the UK either.

Where do you live?

It's quite hard to tell, as many owls look quite similar and that one is evidently quite young and thus won't have formed the distinctive feathering of some species. It's not a snowy owl, that's for sure ;).

Edit -
Probably a horned/eagle owl thinking about it, how big is it? Actually, more that I think about it... It isn't likely to be an eagle owl as there are so few. You really ought to phone the RSPB straight away though.
 
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Live in Southampton.

When it stands up i'd guess it's probably knocking on for 60cm or so tall. I'm not going near it with a ruler, it's not the friendliest of things :p
 
I agree with the above, looks like an eagle owl to me too minus the usual ears. I remember seeing one of these in some woods when I was younger. I was amazed at its size and its big orange eyes just staring at me. Screech owls are a fair bit smaller than the one pictured here I believe.
 
Wrong shape and markings for it to be a tawny. They are smaller too.

Now you have to go and find some mice to feed it Kenai!!
 
It's certainly the correct size for an eagle owl, though because of the small number of them in the country it's quite surprising. Also, for it to be near a city would be very unusual. Tawnys are the size of pigeons (and my favourite owl)
 
Once it has warmed up and out of a state of shock you're going to have fun recapturing it. I found a fieldfare once that was pretty out of it due to the cold. Brought it inside and put it in a box with a net over it to warm up etc. Damn thing got out and decided that everything in the living room looked perfect for its droppings to land on.
 
Pretty certain its a European Eagle Owl. Actually they are increasingly seen in the UK. Although that thing certainly looks like its just been swept across the Channel by storm winds.....:eek:
 
Ah yes, can see it does have some ears, definately an eagle owl! I'm in Southampton too and it was in a woods around here that I saw the one I did too, albeit many years ago. Owls are not the easiest of birds to spot, at least I dont find them easy to find. I have seen a barn owl at dusk whilst walking the itchen way and I've heard plenty of tawny owls. Once they get going they are noisy things!!

Where abouts is your dads workshop?
 
I'm going to put my hat firmly down on it being a short-eared owl. I refuse to believe it's an eagle owl, even though it is a big beast! Though, I'd get on the phone to the RSPB as it looks quite young and may have been abounded.

I love owls. :) Post more pictures please.
 
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You need to feed it a mouse!!!! preferably live!!!!

and some pictures/video of it ripping apart this tasty snack.
 
Portswood, near enough that it could probably have fairly easily found it's way there from the common.

edit - we've left it with some dead rats that we thieved from a reptile owning friend, though it doesn't seem overly keen on them at the moment. Local sanctuary has sugested leaving it be on it's own to calm down and it may settle down and eat something then.
 
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