Our Birdorable Bonanza 2012 concludes today as we reveal our 400th species: the Eurasian Eagle-Owl!

Eurasian Eagle-Owls are very large and powerful birds. They have beautiful cryptic plumage, prominent ear tufts, and striking bright orange eyes.

Eurasian Eagle Owl by cookipediachef

Did you know...?

• The Eurasian Eagle-Owl is sometimes considered to be the world's largest owl species. Their wingspan may be up to 6 and half feet or two meters!
• The scientific name for the Eurasian Eagle-Owl is Bubo bubo. Bubo is Latin for owl.
• This species has a very wide range, with breeding birds recorded in much of south and eastern Europe, and across much of temperate Asia.
• Eurasian Eagle-Owls eat a variety of prey, including mammals like voles and hares.
• Nesting usually occurs on rocky surfaces such as cave entrances, cliff ledges, or other crevices. They may also take over abandoned nests of other large raptor species.
• Like other owl species, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl achieves silent flight through a fringe-like edging across their primary wing feathers.

We've added a coloring page of this beautiful owl. Check out the Eurasian Eagle-Owl and other free PDF downloads here: Coloring Pages.

We hope you've enjoyed our Birdorable Bonanza 2012! We had a lot of fun introducing 22 new birds in 22 days and look forward to the next time! Here is a list of all the birds released during this Bonanza, in case you missed any of them.

• Rose-breasted Grosbeak
• Hawaiian Goose / Nene
• St Lucia Amazon
• Trumpeter Hornbill
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Northern Harrier
• Hawk-headed Parrot
• Palm-nut Vulture
• Eurasian Bullfinch
• Victoria Crowned Pigeon
• Magnolia Warbler
• Orange-winged Amazon
• Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
• Red-shouldered Hawk
• Eastern Towhee
• Eurasian Jay
• Eastern Rosella
• Ferruginous Hawk
• Gentoo Penguin
• Black Falcon
• Red-legged Seriema
• Eurasian Eagle Owl

We're almost there! Today's new bird in our Birdorable Bonanza 2012 is also our 399th species: the Red-legged Seriema!

Red-legged Seriemas live in open grassland habitat in central parts of South America. They feed on small reptiles like lizards and snakes, as well as large insects and small rodents.

Seriema / Red-legged Seriema ( Cariama cristata ) by Wagner Machado Carlos Lemes

They have very long legs; seriemas are skilled and fast runners. They are able to fly, but they are awkward in the air and prefer to run away from danger. Red-legged Seriemas have a wide range, and their population is considered stable and of least concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. With tomorrow's bird we will conclude our Bonanza for this year! We will leave you guessing, with just a silhouette for a clue to #400. :)

Today's latest Birdorable species is a fantastic bird of prey from Australia: the Black Falcon!

The Black Falcon is a species of raptor endemic to Australia. They are found across a wide range which covers roughly the eastern two-thirds of the continent.

BLACK FALCON Falco subniger by beeater

Black Falcons have an overall dark plumage. Young birds are nearly completely black. Birds become lighter as they age; older Black Falcons are usually a dark sooty brown color overall.

Tomorrow's species is a long-legged bird of South American grasslands. Can you guess what it will be?

Today another penguin joins Birdorable! Here is our cute Gentoo Penguin.

This special flightless bird lives across parts of the Antarctic. Gentoo Penguins are closely related to Adelie Penguins and Chinstrap Penguins. Unlike their cousins, Gentoos prefer rocky surfaces to packed ice for both roosting and nesting.

Gentoo Penguins on Saunders Island by Liam Quinn

We're offering our Gentoo Penguin on a wide variety of novelties, apparel, and gifts, including embroidered shirts and bags.

Tomorrow's species is bird of prey who lives Down Under and who is named for its color. Can you guess what it will be?

Today a beautiful bird of prey from the American west joins Birdorable: the Ferruginous Hawk!

Ferruginous Hawks are the largest species of hawk found in North America. They are even sometimes mistaken for eagles when seen in flight - they're that big! They live in open habitats across western North America. They are known for their beautiful coloration, and for their large gape (mouth opening). Check out the photo below!

Ferruginous Hawk by USFWS Pacific Southwest Region

One special Ferruginous Hawk is close to our hearts here at Birdorable. If you don't know about Journey the Ferruginous Hawk and his amazing story of survival, go have a read and be amazed: Ferruginous Hawk Recovered from Plow of Freight Train | Hawk travels 1,500 miles by train | The Amazing Journey.

Tomorrow's species is a flightless bird from Antarctica who prefers rocks to ice. Can you guess what it will be?

Today a beautiful parrot from Australia joins Birdorable: the Eastern Rosella!

Eastern Rosellas are colorful parrots that live in southeastern parts of Australia, including Tasmania. Their beautiful plumage is a mix of red, yellow, blue, green, orange, black, and white. In their native range, they sometimes visit back yard feeding stations.

eastern rosella by jeaniephelan

These colorful birds are cavity nesters. They nest in tree hollows, but will also use nest boxes, as you can see in this cute video. An adult tends to a juvenile in the box.

Tomorrow's species is a bird of prey known for its wide gape. Can you guess what it will be?

Today we proudly introduce the Birdorable Eurasian Jay!

The Eurasian Jay, known simply as Jay by English-speakers in its range, is a species of corvid that lives across much of Europe and parts of Asia and northern Africa.

Eurasian Jay DSC_3334_1 by luc.viatour

These colorful relatives of crows and ravens are known for their ability to mimic the calls of other bird species, including predators like Tawny Owls and Eurasian Buzzards. They use this ability to taunt and intimidate potential predators, along with mobbing behavior, to drive them away.

Tomorrow's bird is a colorful number from Down Under. Can you guess what it will be?

Today the Birdorable Eastern Towhee makes its debut!

Eastern Towhees are bulky, boldly-plumaged sparrows. They live across eastern North America; birds that breed in the north are migratory. They are ground feeders, scratching at the earth with their feet to reveal seeds or insects to eat.

Eastern Towhee by Kelly Colgan Azar

Male towhees have a varied repertoire of songs and calls. One familiar song sounds like the phrase "Drink Your Tea!" The following recording includes this phrase, and a few others.

Tomorrow's bird is a common continental corvid. Can you guess what it will be?

Today the beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk joins Birdorable!

With their distinctive markings, persistent call, and widespread range, the Red-shouldered Hawk is one of North America's most recognizable birds of prey. They are the most common buteo we see around here at Birdorable HQ (in central Florida). Both photos below were taken by us, very close to our home. It was a lot of fun to watch the baby Red-shouldered Hawks grow up at our nearby nature park!

Parent Red-shouldered Hawk by Powered by Birds

Baby Red-shouldered Hawks by Powered by Birds

Tomorrow's bird is a species of sparrow with bold markings. Can you guess what it will be?

Lucky Bonanza bird #13 is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher!

There are twelve species of gnatcatcher in the world. The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher occurs the furthest north of all, and is the only species that migrates (at least part of the population does so).

Gnatcatcher by Kelly Colgan Azar

These small birds are known for their extremely active nature. They spend much of their time foraging for food high up in trees, constantly on the move. They can be identified by their sweet buzzy call, given frequently while they feed.

Tomorrow's bird is a common and very vocal North American species of raptor. Can you guess what it will be?