While most of the passerines attacked by long-eared owls are well within typical prey sizes for this species, while pursuing bird prey many reports note that unusually large prey may be attacked. Avian prey weighing around or somewhat higher such as the larger common thrushes or jays is not uncommonly taken. However, unusually large bird prey for long-eared owls in Europe has included several species at least twice as massive, including adults of the following species: northern lapwings, common wood pigeon ("Columbus palumbus"), with an average adult weight of , common moorhens ("Gallinula chloropus"), with an average adult weight of , red-legged partridges ("Alectoris rufa"), with an average adult weight of , western jackdaws ("Corvus monedula"), with an average adult weight of and Eurasian magpies ("Pica pica"), with an average adult weight of . Much of the largest identifiable and provable prey for long-eared owls in Europe overall were found to be birds. Despite the relatively scarcity of avian prey in the diet in North America, unusually large avian prey has been reported there as well. Such prey have included adults of Northwestern crow ("Corvus caurinus"), averaging , two large adult ruffed grouse ("Bonasa umbellus"), estimated to weigh slightly over , and even apparently at least once an adult sharp-tailed grouse ("Tympanuchus phasianellus"), which average a relatively huge or three times heavier than an average long-eared owl.