mink turned the tables, having apparently overpowered, killed and ate the owl. Although predation events upon Ural owls are widely reported, the relative number of incidents of such are very low and singular. South of the Arctic, it can be considered to rival the great grey owl as the owl species that is second least vulnerable to predation, behind the apex predator eagle-owls. The Ural owl is itself a fairly formidable predator of smaller owl species, although not as prolific a killer as are eagle-owls and northern goshawks. Among the owls Ural owls have been known to have preyed upon are Indian scops owl (Otus lettia), collared scops owl (Otus bakkamoena), northern hawk-owls, tawny owls, Eurasian pygmy owls, boreal owls and long-eared owls. Diurnal raptors are also sometimes vulnerable to predation by Ural owls, including grey-faced buzzards (Butastur indicus), Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus), common kestrel (Falco tinniculus) and even apparent adult northern goshawks. Thus the Ural owl, coupled with a very low known rate of natural predations, appears to occupy a similar position in the intraguild predatory hierarchy as the goshawk. In Finland, both smaller owls and diurnal raptors such as sparrowhawks and even buzzards appear to avoid nesting near Ural owls.Byshnev, I.I. (2002). Interesting case of aggressive interaction between Common Buzzard (Buteo buteo) and Ural Owl (Strix uralensis). Subbuteo, 5: 46. In addition, Ural owls are known to have successfully have chased off actively nesting goshawks as well as European honey buzzards (Pernis apivorus), common buzzards (Buteo buteo) and black kites (Milvus migrans) in order to claim the nests for themselves. Despite their potential predation on smaller mesopredators, when nest boxes for European pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) were experimentally placed in the area of Ural owl nests, productivity lowered, and it is possibly because mesopredators were often attracted to the corresponding food base of the owls. On the contrary, experimental ground nests put out by researchers with random poultry eggs in central Finland were shown to be incidentally protected by the fierce presence of Ural Owls. In the Finnish ground placed almost directly under the Ural nest none at all were preyed upon, while in those placed away, 8.3% were predated, and those within experienced an average predation rate of 58.3%. At a great distance, at all ground nests were predated. Breeding Pair occupancy The Ural owl generally pairs for life and maintains a territory for several years. Mate