THE TAWNY OWL
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The Tawny Owl is currently Britain’s largest & most numerous mainland breeding owl. This prevalence is largely due to its nocturnal habits, which have given the Tawny some protection from persecution. Also its size, physical dominance, varied diet and ability to adapt to changing circumstances and exploit new habitats such as urban parkland and even large gardens, have enabled it to sustain larger numbers.
The Tawny Owl has also been relatively unaffected by pesticide poisoning - indeed the only major problem it has experienced during recent decades is the loss of some nest sites following the spread of Dutch Elm disease and the years when severe winter gales prevailed.
As the legendary owl of fairy tales whose famous (though equally mythical) “tu-whit, tu-whoo” call has become part of our literary heritage, the Tawny has many folk names including Hoot Owl, Brown Owl and Jenny Howlett. In fact the “twit” or more accurately “ke-wick” is a Tawny Owl’s contact call and the “twoo” or again more accurately “hoo-hoo-oooo” is the male’s territorial call. Consequently, if you hear “ke-wick hoo-hoo-oooo” it is most likely a male answering a female.
The Tawny Owl usually nests in hollow trees, most commonly in deciduous and mixed woodland but it will also live on farmland, in parks and even large gardens, provided there are trees and prey. The Tawny’s large eyes provide excellent night vision; hearing is exceptional and ornithologists believe that it is also an intimate knowledge of their surroundings which allows Tawnies to move so easily at night in thick woodland.
As a result Tawnies enjoy an extremely varied diet which includes rodents, birds taken from night roosts, and invertebrates. They occupy a favourite perch, dropping onto prey that passes by; inedible remains such as fur and bones in the form of ‘owl pellets’ gather below these perches. Some Tawny Owls have been known to take fish, frogs and other amphibians by wading in the shallows.