# Tawny Owl (*Strix aluco*) The Tawny Owl is a beautiful bird that is mostly active at night. With its big eyes and soft feathers, it can see well in the dark and loves to hoot in the trees. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Brown Owl, Wood Owl ![Tawny Owl](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Kautz.jpg&width=800) Photo: Alexander Flume, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kautz.jpg) ## Appearance The Tawny Owl is a medium-sized owl with a compact, rounded body and a large, round head without ear tufts. Its soft, cryptic plumage ranges from rufous brown to grey, mottled with darker streaks and spots, allowing it to blend perfectly into tree bark. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Strigiformes - **Family:** Strigidae - **Genus:** Strix ## Interesting facts - Baby Tawny Owls are called owlets and look like fluffy white cotton balls! - Tawny Owls often reuse old nests from crows or squirrels, rather than building their own. - Their distinctive 'hoo-hoo-hoo-HOOO' call is a classic sound of the European night. - These powerful owls can catch prey as large as a pigeon or a rat! ## Special abilities - **Silent Hunter:** Tawny Owl has special serrated wing feathers that help them fly almost silently, making surprise attacks successful. - **Night Vision Master:** Tawny Owl can see very well in low light because of their large eyes packed with light-sensitive cells. - **Super Hearing:** Tawny Owl has asymmetrically placed ears that help them pinpoint the exact location of prey in total darkness. - **Head Swivel:** Tawny Owl can rotate its head up to 270 degrees to scan surroundings without moving its body. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 37-43 cm - **Wingspan:** 81-96 cm - **Weight:** 0.385-0.8 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-10 years - **Speed:** 40 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 2-6 - **Incubation:** 28-30 days ## Diet & Feeding These nocturnal hunters munch on a variety of small animals, from tiny mice to birds. - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Shrews, Small birds, Frogs, Beetles - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** [Field Vole](https://www.snappit.app/explore/field-vole) (*Microtus agrestis*) — A primary food source in open areas. - **Hunts:** Wood Mouse (*Apodemus sylvaticus*) — Frequently caught in forest and garden habitats. - **Hunts:** [Common Shrew](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-shrew) (*Sorex araneus*) — Often consumed, especially by younger owls. ## Traits - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Spotted](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spotted): Marked with spots or patches of a different color. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Ambush Predator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ambush-predator): An ambush predator hunts by patiently waiting and concealing itself, then launching a sudden attack when unsuspecting prey comes within range. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Longevous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/longevous): This trait characterizes organisms with an exceptionally long lifespan compared to others of their kind. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low If you see an owl, watch quietly from a distance and don't disturb it. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Tawny Owl? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Tawny Owl? 37-43 cm ### What is Tawny Owl's wingspan? 81-96 cm ### How much does Tawny Owl weigh? 0.385-0.8 kg ### How long does Tawny Owl live? 4-10 years ### How fast can Tawny Owl move? 40 km/h ### What does Tawny Owl eat? These nocturnal hunters munch on a variety of small animals, from tiny mice to birds. ### Where is Tawny Owl usually found? Forests ## Where to spot - [Screech Owl Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/screech-owl-sanctuary) — England, GB · Zoo - [Tierpark Weeze](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-weeze) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo - [Affen- und Vogelpark Eckenhagen](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/affen-vogelpark-eckenhagen) — Nordrhein-Westfalen, DE · Zoo - [Tierpark Hirschfeld](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tierpark-hirschfeld) — Sachsen, DE · Zoo - [Heimatnaturgarten Weißenfels](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/heimatnaturgarten-weissenfels) — Sachsen-Anhalt, DE · Zoo - [Altonaer Volkspark (Hamburg)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/altonaer-volkspark-hamburg) — Hamburg, DE · Park [View all places to see Tawny Owl](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/tawny-owl) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Tawny Owl: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tawny-owl)