*3.2.10 Ural Owl (Strix uralensis Pallas, 1771)*

Fossil/subfossil record: None. Subspecies: *Strix uralensis liturata* Tengmalm, 1793 [7]. Residence status: resident, vagrant, breeding [7, 12]. Population number: 150–200 pairs [11], 20–60 pairs [12]. Conservation status: threatened [12], endangered [10].

*Owls (Strigiformes Wagler, 1830) in Bulgaria: Past and Present (A Review of the Fossil Record… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107371*

#### **Figure 1.**

*Tawny owl (Strix aluco aluco), gray phase. Orsoya village (Montana Region, NW Bulgaria), 26.04.2020. Photograph: Nikolay Karaivanov.*

Peculiarities: The southern border of the breeding range of the species passes through the territory of the country. The Bulgarian population is a relict of the last glaciations [38].

*3.2.11 Great gray Owl (Strix nebulosa Forster, 1772)*

Fossil/subfossil record: UP: [13, 14, 39].

Residence status: not recorded in the Holocene [7].

Population number: none [7, 12].

Conservation status: none.

Peculiarities: It is possible that the species will be established in Bulgaria during the eruptive movements in the winter period.

### *3.2.12 Eurasian Eagle-Owl (Bubo bubo (Linnaeus, 1758))*

Fossil/subfossil record: CA, UP, GR, NO, ME: [1, 2, 14, 15, 23, 40–43]. Subspecies: *Bubo bubo bubo* (Linnaeus, 1758)) [7]. Residence status: resident, breeding [7, 12]. Population number: 120–150 pairs [44], 650–700 pairs [11], 420–490 pairs [12]. Conservation status: threatened [12], endangered [10].

Peculiarities: The species' population obviously increases at least triple in the last 3–4 decades, despite the decades-long incidents of shooting specimens by unenlightened hunter-poachers (**Figures 3** and **4**).

*3.2.13 Snowy Owl (B. scandiacus (Linnaeus, 1758))*

Fossil/subfossil record: UP: [13, 14, 45]. Residence status: not recorded in the Holocene; probable [7]. Population number: none [7, 12]. Conservation status: none.

#### **Figure 2.**

*Tawny owl (Strix aluco aluco), brown phase. Ofeliite Locality, Vitosha Mnt. (CW Bulgaria), 22.06.2020. Photograph: Lyubomir Hristov.*

#### **Figure 3.**

*A shot Eagle owl (Bubo bubo bubo). Near Reselets village (Pleven Region, NW Bulgaria). 16.07.1977. Photograph: Zlatozar Boev.*

Peculiarities: It is possible that the species will be established in Bulgaria during the winter period.
