A boreal owl was ringed in the Hungarian Great Plain

The rarely-seen bird usually nests in highland pine forests, so its presence in the Great Plain is especially surprising.

The unique bird was ringed at the White Lake Ornithological Refuge by Dr Béla Tokody, Secretary of the Csongrád County Group of the Hungarian Ornithological and Nature Conservation Association (BirdLife Hungary - MME). Although the boreal owl is not an endangered species and is found in several places around the world, including Europe, Siberia and North America, it is not often spotted in Hungary.

According to the expert, the boreal owl can only be spotted during the breeding season, especially in pine forests higher than 800 metres. According to a post on their Facebook page, there were only fifteen observations of this bird species in the entire country before 2019.

As the boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) avoids populated areas and is active mainly at night, it is rare to encounter this bird. It is 22–27 cm (8.7–10.6 in) long with a 50–62 cm (20–24 in) wingspan and weighs 90-220 grammes. It has yellow eyes and a white facial disc that is described as giving the owl a "surprised" expression.

This species is not normally migratory, but it is observed that in some autumns significant numbers move further south. It feeds primarily on small rodents and other birds, and has an average lifespan of 16 years, although due to its relatively small size, they often fall prey to larger predators. It does not build a nest, instead nesting in woodpeckers’ nests or in natural holes in trees. It usually lays 3-6 eggs and its Hungarian name (trousered owl) derives from the pods and feathers that cover its feet.

The researchers kept the bird in a cage for 12 hours for the ringing and then released it back into the wild. The birds at the White Lake are protected thanks to Dr Péter Beretzk, the former director of the MÁV hospital, who, in the 1930s, fell in love with this Lake located in Csongrád county and began fighting for the protection of its natural values. The White Lake Ornithological Refuge has been in operation since 1995, and tens of thousands of birds are caught and ringed here every year.

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