Tawny Owl– The Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), also known as the Brown Owl, is a plump, medium-sized owl found in woodland areas from Europe to western Siberia. There are seven recognized subspecies. The owl is easily recognized by its night-time “twit-too” call.
Tawny owls feed primarily on small mammals such as wood mice and bank voles, and may also include rabbits, moles, birds, beetles, and even fish. They nest in tree hollows. Tawny owls lay eggs in their nests in late winter or early spring, which hatch in nest boxes in about 5 weeks. They lay a clutch of 2-3 eggs in late winter or early spring, which hatch at about 5 weeks of age.
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Scientific Classification of Tawny Owl
These owls have been classified by scientists into many groups along with their species and class, which are as follows:
- Kingdom: Animalia (animals)
- Phylum: Chordata (vertebrates)
- Class: Aves (birds)
- Order: Strigiformes (owls)
- Family: Strigidae (typical owls)
- Genus: Strix
- Species: Strix aluco
Body Structure & Appearance
The tawny owl (Strix aluco) is a medium-sized owl species known for its distinctive anatomy and nocturnal habits. Here are the main aspects of its body structure:
01. Size:
- Size-Tawny owls are typically about 37-39 cm (14.5-15.5 inches) in length and have a wingspan of about 94-104 cm (37-41 inches). This type of owl is much smaller in size than other species.
02. Features:
- Colouration: Tawny owls have gray feathers that provide excellent camouflage against tree bark. This cryptic coloration helps them blend into their woodland habitats and make it easier to catch their prey.
- Facial Disk: Like most owls, they have a distinctive disc-shaped shape on their face that helps channel the prey’s sound waves directly to their ears, helping them to pinpoint their prey.
03. Eyes:
- The tawny owl has two large round eyes on the front side. Since these eyes are facing forward, they get help in seeing the prey from a distance.
04. Beak & Talons:
- They have a strong hooked beak with a special type of beak which is used to tear the prey.
- Their claws are strong and have nails which provide adaptations for catching prey which helps them to catch their prey easily.
05. Flight:
- This type of Tawny Owl has broad wings and a rounded tail, which further enhances their silent flight ability, allowing them to sneak up on their prey.
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Distribution of Tawny Owl
| Continents | Africa, Asia and Europe |
| Subcontinents | Western Asia, Central Asia, North Africa |
| Countries | Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria More |
| Biographical Realms | Palearctic |
The Tawny Owls (Strix aluco) is widely distributed across much of Europe, Asia and North Africa. Here is a detailed description of its distribution:
01. Europe:
- Tawny owls are distributed throughout Europe, including areas such as the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe.
- They usually prefer to live in the forests, woodlands, parks, and gardens of these regions.
02. Asia:
- Tawny Owls are found in the Asian continent spread across various countries including Russia, Siberia, China, Japan, Korea, and parts of the Middle East.
03. North Africa
- Tawny Owls have a limited distribution in North Africa, primarily in regions such as Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia.
- They are often found in the wooded areas and forests of these countries.
Habitat and Life Style
Tawny Owls (Strix aluco) prefer woodland and forest areas as their natural habitat, especially these owls like to live where there is a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees. Here is information about their natural habitat and their habitat:
01. Woodlands and Forests:
- Usually this species of owl is found in mature forest land covered with dense trees. Also, these owls prefer to live in such places where different types of trees and plants are found because there is almost no shortage of their prey in these places.
- This owl species mostly prefers to reside in both natural forests and managed forestlands.
02. Edge Habitats:
- These owls are most often found at the edges of woodlands where the forest intersects with open areas such as fields, grasslands, or agricultural land since such places provide both shelter and food.
03. Nesting Sites:
- This species of owl nests in tree cavities, sometimes using old woodpecker burrows, natural hollows, or abandoned nests of other birds.
- To keep their population stable, it is necessary that their nests should be in a good place so that they can be protected from other predators and their numbers remain stable.
04. Territorial Behaviour:
- These owls are territorial in nature and maintain relatively stable territories throughout the year and defend their nests and territory.
Diet & Nutrition
These owls prefer to hunt at night and make nocturnal creatures their food because their nature is developed to hunt at night. Their diet can include all these things which are as follows:
01. General Feeding Habits:
- Tawny owls are primarily carnivorous in nature and use their excellent night vision and keen hearing to locate prey and hunt mostly at night and are not very active during the day.
- These owls sit on the branches of trees at night and wait for their prey. Since they have a strong hearing power, as soon as they see their prey, they catch it without making any noise.
02. Prey Selection:
- Small Mammals: The diet of this species of owl consists mainly of small mammals, including mice, voles, shrews, and sometimes small rats. These mammals are found in abundance in areas such as woodlands.
- Birds: These owls also prey on ground-nesting birds and include smaller bird species such as sparrows, finches, and thrushes.
- Insects: Insects such as beetles, moths, and occasionally larger insects such as grasshoppers, may all supplement the diet, especially during breeding seasons when mammalian prey becomes scarce.
- Amphibians: These owls also prey on amphibians, frogs and shrews in wetland habitats since these creatures thrive in abundance in wetlands.
03. Seasonal Variations:
- Their diet may vary depending on prey availability and energy requirements during winter or harsh weather as it is not possible to find the same prey every time.
- When their breeding season comes, they need extra energy, so Tawny Owls hunt small mammals for food and feed them to their babies.
Life Span of Tawny Owls
The lifespan of a tawny owl in the wild and when free is 10–20 years, depending on factors such as habitat quality, environmental influences and food availability.
References:
https://bytica.net/tawny-owl-facts/