Eagle Owl

Chris Sperring travels to Sweden, where he has a close encounter with the largest owl in the world, the Eagle Owl.

Chris meets naturalist Tom Arnbon at Skansen Zoo, Stockholm. He explains that the eagle owl is a native Swedish species and describes the zoo's rescue and re-release programmes.

Chris also chats to Alar Broberg, an eagle owl specialist, who tells him about owls nesting in quarries and their lifespans.

There is some controversy surrounding eagle owls in the UK as some view them as natural migrants that have a place in Britain, and others view them as escapees from collections.

Producer: Julian Hector

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in January 2007.