Turkmenian Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo turcomanus)

Cash was bred at the centre in 1995. He is used in our daily flying displays at the centre, experience days, outside events and school talks.

He is the largest and most charismatic owl that we fly. He has discovered that there is not much point in flying when people on experience days will carry him back to his perch!

In the wild

The Turkmenian Eagle Owl is a sub-species of the slightly larger European Eagle Owl. They occur around the area of Kazakhstan in the wild. The diet consists of mainly mammals, from rodents to rabbits and hares. They will occasionally take birds and even other birds of prey.

Origin: The sub-species (turcomanus) originates from the Kazakhstan area: between Volga and upper Ural, Caspian coast and Aral Sea, east to Transbaikalia and Tarim Bassin to west Mongolia.

Diet: Mammals, ranging in size from small rodents (shrews) to hares. Birds to the size of herons and Buzzards are taken, as well as reptiles, frogs, larger insects and even earthworms; occassionally carrion.

Habitat: Primarily rocky landscapes, often scattered with trees, small groves or bushes, from sea-level to above timberline. Also forest with clearings, cultivated open or semi-open areas with quarries, rocky cliffs in valleys. Locally near human settlements; avoids dense, extensive forest.