Tawny Owls

The tawny owl is a small nocturnal bird , about the size of a pigeon. It has a dark plumage with dark rings around the eyes. The upper feathers are reddish brown while the lower feathers are paler. Tawny owls are nocturnal so they are more likely to be heard at night. They may be seen during the day if their roosting place is disturbed.

These owls can be seen all year round . They eat small rodents such as mice , small birds , frogs , worms , fish and insects. In the United Kingdom there are 50 000 breeding pairs.

Tawny owls can grow up to 39 cm in length. Males can have a weight of 330-470 gms, and a wingspan of up to 100 cm. Females are 20-40% heavier and their wingspan is 5-10% longer.

The tawny owl has at least 10 basic calls. There is a small difference between male and female and individuals can be recognized by their pitching. The familiar "hoo" is first sounded as one note, followed by a long pause and then another short note , another short pause and finally a long soft quaver.

Nest are normally an unlined hole in a tree or the left over nest of a heron or crow. 2-4 round white eggs are laid from late March to early April and incubated by the female for 28-30 days. The male will feed the brood for 21 days and the young will fledge after 37 days.