If you have been to Ravensbeard Wildlife Center recently, you might have seen a large owl perched on a pipe off the carpet, chilling in the back room. She does not seem too bothered by the people around her as she observes intently the activity around her, if she is not dozing off.
She is a four-year old female Eurasian Eagle Owl, the second largest owl in the world. Her name is Ursala. She weighs a little over 5 pounds with an impressive wing span of 5-6 feet. As the name suggests, the owl is not native to the U.S. They have a vast geographic range, inhabiting diverse habitats across Europe (Iberian Peninsula, Scandinavia) and Asia (Siberia, China, Northern India, Korea), including forests, mountains, and rocky cliffs. They are also known to adapt to urban environments.
Two years ago, she was brought to Ravensbeard by a breeder who was unable to sell the owl because of an ocular defect where her cornea is dilated and the characteristic orange eyes are not visible. She also had slightly out-toeing talons. Other than that, she is perfectly fine and is capable of flight. Ravensbeard adopted her just in time, otherwise she most likely would have been destroyed. Eurasian Eagle Owls are used as demonstration birds or for falconry. Ursala was hand fed so she has been imprinted.
A couple of years ago, another Eurasian Eagle Owl named Flaco gained notoriety when he escaped from the New York Central Park Zoo and was able to survive in the City for a year. He became a beloved figure, surprising many Upper West Side residents at their windows, and delighting City bird lovers.
Starting in August, Dominic Cancilla took on the task of training Ursala on his property to see if she can become an educational bird ambassador. Initially, she had a lot of fear to overcome, but she made good progress and graduated to the creance, which allows her to fly under controlled conditions.
Training is done through positive feedback and food. Trust must be gained and it is a slow, deliberate process. Fortunately, she was a gentle bird by nature, and she took to Dominic, even allowing him to caress the back of her head or neck. After two months, she was brought back to Ravensbeard to work with Ellen in preparation for an upcoming presentation. She made her debut on October 25, 2025 at a presentation given at Tivoli Library and wowed the audience of 60 people. She did great and there is no doubt she will become a star attraction.