Appearance:

Adults unmistakable. White head with bold black markings and orangy brown back. Even more striking in flight, with white wedge on back, large white patches at base of wings, white wing-bars and black and white tail. Juvenile and winter plumage birds with similar white patches, but with darker head and greyish, dark brown back. Underside always pure white. Leaves a robust and compact impression, with heavy bill and square head.

Sound:

Characteristic call: An explosive, hard, resonant and short "koi" or "kott" with a peculiar timbre, usually given in rapid or accelerating series. Alarm call/song more "wader-like", a staccato "kuvi-kuvi-vit-vit-vitua".

Alarm call:

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

Sounds:Recorded by Niels Krabbe,http://www.xeno-canto.org ,CC license

Appearance:

Small owl with large, square head and spotted upperparts. Eyes bright yellow and facial disks white. "Astonished" expression. Size approximates that of Little Owl, but appears more bulky. Head much larger than in Pygmy Owl, and flight pattern includes interspersed glides without bounding. Seldom seen in the open.

Sound:

Song consists of fast series of fairly deep whistling notes "po-po-po-po-po-po-po-po", slightly ascending in pitch, and descending in the last few syllables. Phrase includes up to 25 units. Other calls include a drawn-out, squeaky "kweeat" and some peculiar, explosive sounds with an almost "electronic" quality.

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-photo:Stefan Berndtsson, Licence,Link,