A Response On The Death Of Oscar The Eagle Owl from Sweden

Ornithologist Alar Broberg who studies the Eagle Owl in Sweden sent this message today after reading the blog entry about "Oscar" Bristol's Eagle Owl death.
Just to remind everyone, its thought that Oscar was injured and died after attacks from Gulls and Crows, so here is Alar's response to that.

I had a few sec free time, so I checked your blog –spot.
The only occasion I can imagine that an EO is killed by gulls and crows if it’s in a very bad health status. Sick or very poor luck with catching food. I have never heard about this happening, the only ones that kills EO is another EO or perhaps an Eagle.

Alar goes on to tell us about his Eagle Owl successes so far this year in Sweden

So far it’s pretty good year , and we had one day “all time high ringing in the archipelago”. Usually that area has about 5 chicks, and the previous was last year), last Monday I rung 12 ( 7 clutches).

Eagle Owlet in Sweden Picture by Alar Borberg

My Thanks to Alar for taking the time to respond to this.
Sadly the body of Oscar has been disposed of, obviously an autopsy to find any underlying reason why he died would have been good. And so after reading Alar's response it does make me wonder whether he may have been poisoned, this comment from me is really jumping to a conclusion and only based on the fact that Oscar was catching Rats in the City, therefore I would assume Rats in the City are targeted for poisoning. Stands to reason if this happened his health would have deteriorated to a point were by the Gulls and Crows may have picked on him.
At the end of the day we will never really know and without the evidence from his body then we only have rumour and unsubstantiated evidence.

Thanks to the many of you that have e mailed regarding Oscar the Eagle Owl.