Tawny Owl (Strix Aluco) Species Guide: Appearance, Diet, Habitat, Behavior, Stats, And Conservation Status

Species Guide | Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

APPEARANCE

The Tawny Owl is about the same size as a wood pigeon but with a more stocky/rounded appearance. They have reddish brown and grey-streaked plumage; which is excellent camouflage when they’re perched. They have a distinctive ring of feathers around their face, which is framed with ominous-looking dark eyes.

Diet

Their diet is quite varied and consists of small mammals such as mice, small birds, fish, amphibians, insects, and even worms.

HABITAT

Tawny Owls favor broadleaf environments, though they can be found in other wooded environments such as coniferous and scrub. They even inhabit some urban and suburban areas. Notably, though, they are absent from treeless environments. The Tawny Owl is widespread across the British Isles with the exception of Ireland. In fact, it’s the UK’s most widespread owl species. 

Note that this map is for a rough illustration of animal distribution across the UK¹, whereby light green indicates established populations.

Behavior

Tawny Owls typically pair for life from the age of 1 year old. They normally remain resident within a territorial area, which they defend from other birds. Their ‘too-whit-too-woo’ call has become synonymous with what we associate as being an owl call. It is the call of two birds. The female makes a ‘too-whit’ call and the male makes a ‘too-woo’ call.

Did You Know? If you imitate the male call sign, any Tawny Owls nearby often respond.

Tawny Owls select a nest site in the Autumn, usually they select cavities in large trees. But they will also use old Crow nests and squirrel dreys. They have one brood each year, typically towards the end of March, and consists of two to three eggs; which are incubated by the female for up to one month. During this time, the male takes responsibility for feeding the female.

Once hatched the nestlings (also known as owlets) are fed by both parents for around 6 weeks. After which, they initially spend a few days around the nest site, sitting in the surrounding trees. During this time, the parents continue to care for their young until Autumn. At this point, the owlets disperse.

STATS

Did You Know? The oldest recorded Tawny Owl in the wild was over 23 years old!

NATURAL PREDATORS

As a larger bird themselves, the Goshawk is their main predatory threat. However, other birds such as crows may mob Tawny Owls.

Conservation Status

Sadly, the population of Tawny Owls in the British Isles has dropped by more than 33% since the 1970s. Progressive habitat loss is the likely factor. Consequently, they are an amber-listed bird in the UK. But classified as Least Concern from a global viewpoint. 

U.K.
Conservation Status

Global
Conservation Status

References

1. Population data based on BTO assessment
2. Featherbase
3. RSPB