Tawny Owl

Strix aluco Linnaeus, 1758

Tawny Owl, Strix aluco, breeds across western Eurasia in the Palearctic and is a woodland owl of the family Strigidae. It is a non-migratory bird of prey that keeps to territories, and young birds that fail to secure one may not survive. It nests in tree holes, which shelter eggs and young from predators. Its plumage can be brown or grey above, with pale underparts marked by dark streaks. It is active at night, hunts from a perch, and its hearing is aided by unevenly placed ears. The usual call is a double hoot shared between male and female.

Order

Strigiformes

Family

Strigidae — Owls

Breeding range

Palearctic: w Eurasia