Little and large owls make an odd couple

A male great grey owl and the pint-sized long-eared owl have become inseparable since they began sharing a nest at a wildlife park in Goldau, Germany.

The junior partner - at 12 inches tall - is just half the size of its landlord and doesn't even seem to be put off by the fact that he has share the nest with a full time mate and several chicks too.



Vet Martin Wehrle: "A great grey owl would normally see this sort of owl as a snack. Normally a long eared owl would be too scared to go anywhere near them," he added. But observers say he has been accepted completely as one of the family.

Wehrle added: "They all get on very well together and we think the two grey owls must have accepted the long eared owl as a chick because they even try to feed it from time to time."