Appearance:

Unmistakable if seen well. Corvoid-like at a distance, and may be mistaken for Jay if no plumage characters are visible. Tail is however quite a bit shorter, and wings slightly longer. Flight-feathers dark, contrasting with turquois coverts, both below and above. Underparts especially striking in flight, being pale blue (sometimes seemingly white) all over, except dark flight-feathers and base of tail. Bill heavy. Immature duller than adults with faint streaked breast and slightly rufous coverts. Wing-beats deep and regular. Flies mostly in a straight line. Migrating birds move in characteristic procession-like formations.

Sound:

Various dry rasping, sometimes mewing, sounds and short clicks: "ahrahrahrahrahrahrahr" or pulse of clicks: "trrrtrrrrtrr". Also a clearer raptor- or jay-like descending "piiuu".

Display calls:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Jarek Matusiak, Licence,Link.

Appearance:

Approaching Eagle Owl in size, but shape more elongated, with head being extremely large. Differs from Ural Owl in yellow eyes, concentric markings in facial disks, bold white bars between eyes and black "beard". Wings and tail long. Characteristic pale patch at base of primaries shows in flight, but the species leaves an overall darker impression than Ural Owl. Tail with dark terminal band.

Sound:

Song: Cyclic, repetitive, very deep calls rising and falling in volume. Accented start and end of each "hooh". As the call fades away in volume, the speed accelerates. Sometimes disyllabic "ho-ho,ho-ho,ho-ho,ho-ho".

Song:

Distribution:

Wikipedia: map (se also Xeno-canto below)

Ecology:

Birdlife ecology

Links:

Observation.org Latest observations

Video IBC

Image search Flickr NB! May give other species

Sound search at Xeno-canto

Featherbase

CC

CC-sound:Gunnar Fernqvist, Licence,Link.