Tawny Owls by Lou Barton

From November through the winter, after listening to the cacophony of Tawny Owls, all has quietened down now and I thought you may be interested in learning a little more about the secret world of the Tawny Owl, so this is why:

Through November and December the hooting of the males can heard as they delineate their territory to other males and call to the females. 

Those with partners are calling them back and you often her reply of “kerrick, kerrick, kerrick”  

For those males without a partner but with a territory, they are trying to attract a new mate, whilst keeping any other males from moving in and moving them out, so this time of the year is pretty noisy.

Tawny Owls are early nesting birds and the male will attract the female into the nest site with food, and will continue to bring her food to prove there is a plentiful supply and help her gain her breeding weight.

Mating will then begin from February onwards and you won’t hear the paired females call again for several months. 

The males will continue to call but not at the same level as the preceding months.

The female will start laying from late February/early March, (between 2 to 4 eggs) and these are laid every 2 days or so (asynchronously) and incubation lasts for approximately 30 days.

The chicks start hatching anytime from now (end of March/early April) and they leave the nest at around 26 days old to branch.

It is just before the owlets start expanding their horizons that we check out Tawny boxes for chicks so that we can arrange for them to be weighed, measured and ringed. 

All their information is then added to the British Owl Project database, a return for each active nest box sent to the BTO (British Trust for Ornithology) and we are now starting to share our data with TVERC.

At this branching phase, the chicks are fluff balls with no flight feathers and spend their time moving through the tree canopies and scrub areas with their parents feeding them.

  The youngsters have strong feet with very sharp talons and a sharp hooked beak enabling them to climb extremely well using these sharp tools.

During the branching phase the owlets can fall and can be vulnerable to being blown out of their aerial playground, in high winds, ending up on the floor and often mistaken as having been abandoned by members of the public. 

If you find one of these cute, big eyed, grey fluff balls on the ground then please DO NOT pick it up and remove it, the parents will be watching you, they know exactly where it is. 

Simply move if off the ground to a branch or bush or hedge in the immediate vicinity. 

Please do be aware though that the Tawny parents are very protective and can attack, so if possible keep you head and eyes protected as a precaution.

If you are worried about the chick and feel that it needs assistance then make a note of the exact location you have found it and either contact the British Owl Project on 07803 124777 or Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue, who have excellent facilities for birds or prey (as well as other wildlife) on 07549 322464.

The young owls will stay with their parents for another 3 months being fed and taught how to hunt and become self-sufficient.

  It is at this time that, if you have Tawny Owls near you, you will hear the strident call of the chicks demanding food from the parents and if you are lucky enough you may get a glimpse of these amazing birds.

The juveniles then disperse to find a territory of their own in September, and this is when things become very noisy again.

Initially they will look to find a home range close to where they hatched and so it is very important that more habitat is provided for them together with nest site to increase these opportunities for them as these birds are now on the amber list.

If you would like more information about Tawny Owls and how you can help them, please do get in contact with the British Owl Project at lu@britishowlproject.co.uk or visit our website www.britishowlproject.co.uk