A rare bird of prey has been discovered on the Estonian island of Ruhnu, potentially marking only the eighth confirmed sighting of its kind in the country’s history.
Rare Barn Owl Found on Ruhnu Island
Cattle farmers on Ruhnu Island, located in the Gulf of Riga, found the deceased bird of prey while checking on their animals this week. They initially identified it as a barn owl (Loorkakk), a species more commonly found in warmer regions of Europe.
Marten Riisenberg described finding the owl at the bottom of a hay barn, stating, “Out of the corner of your eye, you see something white. At first, you think it’s a chunk of snow, and then you look closer and see a wing lying under a body.” He noted the bird was not tagged and expressed hope that further examination would reveal more information.
Kee Abel added that their research suggests the species typically inhabits warmer areas of Europe.
Marko Mägi, a bird ecologist at the University of Tartu, explained that it is difficult to determine how the owl arrived in Estonia. He believes it likely migrated from the south, potentially from southern Latvia, and died accidentally.
Mägi described the sighting as “extremely rare,” noting that Estonia has recorded more medals at the Winter Olympic Games – 10 – than confirmed barn owl sightings.
Prior to this discovery, the barn owl had been sighted eight times in Estonia. Mägi referenced a previous sighting that was later determined to be an escaped captive bird, which drew significant attention from birdwatchers.
The bird was found in a field on the Island of Ruhnu.
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