The Eagle Owl (Bubo bubo) is the largest owl in Slovenia, which was considered to be mostly located in the southwestern part of Slovenia, while the occurrence in northeastern Slovenia is a relatively new phenomenon. At present, more than 50 sites in the north-eastern part of Slovenia are known. The Eagle Owl was found nesting in a large proportion in quarries, which is quite specific compared to south-west Slovenia. The aim of this study was to review the historical occurrence of the Eagle Owl and to compare the breeding habits between southwestern and northeastern Slovenia. With comparison we assessed whether it is the same population or not. We have found that Eagle Owl in north-eastern Slovenia has been present since at least the 19th century and that its presence and distribution has changed greatly due to hunting. We also confirmed differences between populations in the type of their nesting sites, since Eagle Owl in the northeastern part of Slovenia nests in active quarries (45% of population), which is not typical for the southwestern population. The collected data indicates significant differences in the type of nesting site. Differences between NE and SW were also confirmed in the distance to the motorways and the nearest neighbouring owl nest site, and in the altitudinal distribution of nests. Unfortunately, due to lack of data we could not confirm, if these differences are the result of habitat selection or result of habitat availability.
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