Eurasian Eagle-Owl at the Artis Royal Zoo, Amsterdam (Holland)

The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is a species of eagle-owl resident in much of Eurasia. It is sometimes called the European Eagle-Owl and is, in Europe, where it is the only member of its genus besides the Snowy Owl, occasionally abbreviated to just eagle-owl. In India, it is often called the Indian Great Horned Owl, though this may cause confusion with the similarly named American bird. It is one of the largest species of owl, and females can grow to a total length of 75 centimetres (30 in), with a wingspan of 188 centimetres (74 in), males being slightly smaller. This bird has distinctive ear tufts, the upper parts are mottled black and tawny and the wings and tail are barred. The underparts are buff, streaked with darker colour. The facial disc is poorly developed and the orange eyes are distinctive. The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is found in a number of habitats but is mostly a bird of mountain regions, coniferous forests, steppes and remote places. It is a mostly nocturnal predator, hunting for a range of different prey species, predominately small mammals but also birds of varying sizes, reptiles, amphibians, fish, large insects and earthworms.