Eagle owl found injured: Europe's largest bird requires maximum caution

The eagle owl (Bubo bubo) is the largest nocturnal raptor in Europe and one of the most imposing birds on the continent. An adult can have a wingspan of up to 188 cm and weigh up to 4 kg. When you find one injured on the ground, the first thing to understand is that you're not dealing with an ordinary bird.

Why the eagle owl is different from other nocturnal raptors

An adult eagle owl's talons can reach 7 cm in length. Its grip strength is comparable to an eagle's — designed to snap the spine of a fox or a young roe deer. An injured specimen that feels threatened can cause very serious injuries.

It's not an aggressive animal by nature: what you're seeing is a pure defensive reflex from an animal that is terrified and in pain.

When it needs help

The eagle owl is strictly nocturnal. If you find one out during the day, in open ground or at the roadside:

• It is almost certainly unwell. The most common causes in Italy: collision with power lines or vehicles, rodenticide poisoning (accumulated toxin from eating poisoned mice), gunshot in hunting areas.

• If it's perched on a low branch and watching you without fleeing, it may just be dazed or disoriented after an impact. Observe from a distance for 30–60 minutes before intervening.

How to pick it up safely — only if strictly necessary

First advice: call the Carabinieri Forestali (1515) before doing anything. The eagle owl is a priority conservation species and many regions have wildlife recovery teams equipped for large raptors.

If you do need to intervene:

• Use welding gloves or heavy work gloves — not standard kitchen gloves. Thin gloves won't stop those talons.
• Wrap the animal in a thick blanket or heavy tarpaulin, covering the head too. Darkness dramatically reduces defensive aggression.
• Bring the wings against the body while holding both feet — don't leave even one free.
• Don't compress the chest: raptors breathe through ribcage movement.

For transport: a sturdy container (not regular cardboard — an eagle owl will break through it), ideally a wooden crate or a large-dog transport crate. Line the bottom with material.

What never to do

• Don't touch it with bare hands.
• Don't open the container to "check how it's doing."
• Don't give it food or water.
• Don't photograph it close up or show it to children — handling stress can cause cardiac arrest even in apparently stable specimens.
• Don't take it to a general vet: managing an eagle owl requires specialist expertise.

Where to take it

Not all wildlife rescue centres are equipped to handle an adult eagle owl. Use WildSOS to find centres in your area that specialise in large raptors.

Something extraordinary

The eagle owl hunts at night with a precision impossible for most animals: its ears are positioned asymmetrically on its skull, which allows it to calculate the distance and height of prey using sound alone, with a margin of error of less than one degree. It can hear a mouse moving under 30 cm of snow.

The male begins courtship in December, with a deep call audible up to 4 km away. A pair remains bonded for decades and uses the same nesting site throughout their lives.

Legal protection

The eagle owl is absolutely protected under the Birds Directive and Law 157/1992. It is listed in Annex I of the Directive as a species requiring special conservation measures. Any unauthorised disturbance, capture or possession is a criminal offence.