Scientific name: Surnia ulula (Linnaeus, 1758)
Bird group: Owls
Field characters. 38 cm. Middle sized owl with remarkably long tail and short pointed wings, in flight giving it the look of a Eurasian Sparrowhawk. Face white, bordered with black, upperparts brown-black with white spots and edges on mantle, tail black with narrow white bars, underparts white, heavily barred black. Mainly diurnal. When hunting, sits in hunched posture on look-out in top of a tree or pole, flicking its tail. Flight low above ground.
Voice. A raptor-like 'ki-ki-ki-ki'.
Distribution. Resident. Sometimes wanders southward. Scarce in the north, but sometimes common when prey is abundant.
Habitat. Pine forest, open woodland with birches, and borders of tundra.
Food. Mainly rodents and lemmings.