Passing birds, like the owls, often stay in Latvia during the winter. Some species, such as the Eurasian penduline tit and the Tengmalm’s owl, even halt their flight during storms.
Here are some more facts about Latvia’s birds. These animals are found in all four seasons: summer, fall, and winter. During winter, they stay in Latvia as they acclimate to the local climate.
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Tengmalm’s Owl
The Tengmalm’s Owl is an owl in Latvia. It is 22 to 27 centimeters in length with a wingspan of 50-62 cm. Its coloring is brown with flecks of white on its back.
Its head is large, with yellow eyes and a white facial disc. Like its larger cousin, the Great Horned Owl, it carries a distinctive call that sounds similar to the Wilson’s Snipe.
This species is found throughout Europe, but it was only recently described as common in the United States.
A recent study in the Serbian National Park, Kopaonik, estimated that this species has a breeding population of fewer than a thousand in the region.
Researchers estimate that the population of Tengmalm’s Owls in Kopaonik may be higher than previously suspected, based on a study by Puzovic et al.
The breeding density of the Tengmalm’s Owl is one of the highest in Europe, but the breeding density varies depending on the area studied.
Generally, higher breeding densities were recorded over fewer areas. According to Locker & Flugge (1998), three factors contribute to the high breeding density of Tengmalm’s Owls in Latvia: Black Woodpecker cavities, optimal forest areas, and the absence of Tawny Owl as a primary avian predator.
Snowy Owl
The Snowy Owl of Latvia is a rare bird species. It is the largest owl in Europe, and it is the real North inhabitant. Its appearance is starkly white – males are completely white and females are white with dark spots.
It lives in Northern Scandinavia and Russian tundra, and rarely ventures south. Although it is rare today, Snowy Owls did migrate to Latvia during the 19th century.
It lives in mountainous and rocky habitats and feeds on a variety of small mammals. It also takes advantage of larger prey like buzzards, hares, and marmots. It also feeds on fish and carrion.
The Snowy Owl is a top predator, and its hearing is superb. It can hunt down small mammals as well as other animals such as mice and rats. However, if a human disturbs its nest, it will kill it.
The Northern Saw-whet Owl calls a series of whistles, and males use these sounds to attract females. Adults measure between seventeen and 19 centimeters in length, with a wingspan of up to 36 centimeters.
They are black with whitish bars on their tails. Their yellow eyes and facial disc are distinctive features of this owl, which is the smallest owl in Latvia.
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Ural Owl
The Ural Owl is found throughout Latvia. It is monogamous, so the two owls remain in a close relationship for life. They will defend their nest aggressively and may take over a raptor’s nest if there isn’t enough space for a second pair.
They lay between two and six white eggs, which are incubated in the female’s nest. Incubation starts at two to four weeks after laying the eggs, and the young begin to leave the nest at about 4 weeks old.
The young are capable of flight by two weeks old, but will need further training to develop their abilities as a parent.
The Ural Owl is a critically endangered species, with only about 1500 breeding pairs in Estonia. It nests in high-up hollow trunks, large sticks, and nest boxes with larger holes.
There are between 1500 and 2000 ural owls in Estonia, with only one arriving in Latvia from Russia. The Estonian government has been actively working to increase the population of this beautiful owl by reintroducing the species, and in some cases, breeding pairs have been reintroduced.
Short-eared Owl
The Short-eared Owl of Latvia is a fairly common species. Its habitat is open country, where it builds a ground nest.
The parents poop on the eggs to scare away predators, and lure enemies away from the nest by pretending to be crippled. The Short-eared Owl’s call is similar to a cat’s. The owl’s calls are loud, and they are often able to lure enemies away from the nest.
The Short-eared owl prefers open fields, grasslands, and airports. It usually hunts at ground level, but it also occasionally feeds on larger mammals.
When hunting, the Short-eared owl prefers open habitats. If the short-eared owl hears another owl, it may return and hunt. It will be wary of humans and will attack them in order to defend its nest.
The Short-eared owl has a large head and big eyes. Its plumage is mainly brown, and it has short wings and a barred tail. Its eyes are orange-red.
Its plumage is brown, with yellow-orange streaks. The Short-eared owl spends most of its life in open, agricultural areas, and floodplains.
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Tawny Owl
The Tawny Owl of Latvia is a strikingly beautiful bird, with a distinctive appearance and unique courtship. These birds roost separately during the day, from July to October, but gather near their nests during winter.
They are about 22 centimeters long, with dark brown tail feathers and whitish bars. Their eyes are sulfur-yellow and their facial disc is well-defined. They are found in a variety of habitats in Latvia.
The population of the Tawny Owl was studied on two plots in eastern Latvia. It increased in numbers during the study, although many owls were single.
Approximately 11% of the population was single, and nesting attempts were made only in territories that were regularly occupied. The frequency of territory occupation was also related to breeding productivity. The high rate of breeding might be due to the increasing population, as well as the lack of adequate resources.
The Tawny Owl is found throughout Europe, Central Asia, and North Africa. Its habitat varies, but it can be found in woodlands, large gardens, and abandoned buildings.
Despite their small size, the Tawny Owl is capable of reaching heights of nine-hundred feet. It can also survive in urban environments. Its habitat consists of deciduous forests, riverine forests, and large gardens with old trees.
Old World flycatcher
If you’ve ever been to Latvia, you’ve probably heard of the Old World flycatcher. The small passerine bird is a member of the Old World flycatcher family and is one of four species of black-and-white flycatchers in the Western Palearctic region.
The flycatcher lives in southern and eastern Europe, and also winters in sub-Saharan Africa. In western Europe, you’re likely to find them in garden settings, or at least a small number of them.
The Latvian Old World flycatcher is one of several species of bird that are found in the Baltic and other regions of the European continent. These species are members of the family Silviidae.
They are solitary, nocturnal birds that are very similar in appearance and behavior to their cousins in other parts of the world.
During the summer, they migrate to a variety of breeding grounds. During the winter, they migrate to open fields, cliffs, and meadows.
This species is also known as the Dusky-blue Flycatcher. It nests in open forests, usually on the slopes of an active volcano.
Because of its limited range, the species is threatened by habitat loss, and conservation efforts are needed to protect them.
The bird is an important part of the local economy, and it is also one of the best-known Old World flycatchers. Its habitat is rapidly being destroyed by human activities, such as agriculture and logging.
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Old World accentor
The accentor birds of Latvia are small sparrow-like species, related to warblers and thrushes. They are omnivores and insectivores that typically feed on the ground.
There are 13 species of accentor birds in Latvia. Each of these species is distinctive with its distinct song. The species’ taxonomic treatment is based on Clements’s 5th edition.
The largest family of passerine birds is the emberizids, which includes sparrows and quails. Despite their small size, many species of emberizids have distinctive head patterns and are classified as Old World accentor birds.
There are about 275 species of emberizids worldwide, and 10 of them occur in Latvia. The group is also known as “the buntings” in North America, a name that has derived from the fact that emberizids have large crests and large, pointed bills.
The kinglet is another type of Old World accentor bird. These small, black-and-white passerine birds are often included in the Old World warbler family.
They resemble titmice and are small in size. Kinglets have seven species worldwide, including 2 species found in Latvia. Waxwings are passerine birds with soft silky plumage and distinctive red tips on their wing feathers.
They are arboreal forest dwellers and feed on berries and insects during the summer. There are 3 species of waxwings in the world.
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