This species breeds in dense vegetation adjacent to open areas such as grassland or shrubland, including open forest, nesting and roosting in forest. In mainland Europe, breeding occurs in edge woodland and scrub. Outside the breeding season it is found in similar habitats, including farmland with hedgerows. The breeding season is from February to July (Olsen 1999). It uses the abandoned stick nests of other species, such as crows (Corvus), magpies (Pica), raptors, herons (Ardea) (König and Weick 2008). It also accepts artificial baskets, and sometimes lays in cavities in trees or cliffs, or on the ground. Clutches are generally five to seven eggs. It feeds principally on small mammals, although some studies have found birds to be important (Olsen 1999). The species is mainly migratory in Fennoscandia and Russia but further south in Europe it is more sedentary (Hagemeijer and Blair 1997).

This species occurs across the Mediterranean region.

Conservation Actions Underway
CITES Appendix II. Bern Convention Appendix II.

Conservation Actions Proposed
It is suggested that road collisions could be decreased by reducing the availability of small rodents in close proximity to roads, through allowing vegetation to grow naturally or by planting short bushes (Baudvin 1997). Management to prevent vole declines should involve the creation of a mosaic of different habitat types with grassland mown at different times of the year together with undisturbed strips (Aschwanden et al. 2005). Breeding can be encouraged through the provision of artificial nesting platforms and open fronted nestboxes (Olsen 1999). In addition in harsh winters, food supplies can be augmented through the provision of feeding stations near day roosts (König and Weick 2008). The use of pesticides and rodenticides should be also controlled. Monitoring of population size, trend and threats would be useful, including studies into the incidence of possible harvesting in population dynamics.