Tawny Owl with Sound Mini Clip-on 8cm - Soft Toy

Physical Characteristics
The Tawny Owl is about the size of a pigeon. It has a rounded body and head, with a ring of dark feathers around its face surrounding the dark eyes. It is mainly reddish brown above and paler underneath. Although this owl is often claimed to have exceptional night vision, its retina is no more sensitive than a human's, but its asymmetrically placed ears give the Tawny Owl excellent directional hearing.

Habitat
The Tawny Owl is a widespread species found in England, Wales and Scotland but not found in Ireland. Tawny owls tend to inhabit woods and countryside areas.

Behaviour
The tawny owl is nocturnal so it is often heard calling at night, but much less often seen. In the daytime, you may see one only if you disturb it inadvertently from its roost site in woodland up against a tree trunk or among ivy. Look for pellets below roosting places. The Tawny Owl hunts almost entirely at night, watching from a perch before dropping or gliding silently down to its victim, but very occasionally it will hunt in daylight when it has young to feed.

Breeding
Tawny Owls pair off from the age of one year, and stay together in a usually monogamous relationship for life. The Tawny Owl typically nests in a hole in a tree, but will also use old European Magpie nests, squirrel dreys or holes in buildings, and readily takes to nest boxes. The parents care for young birds for two or three months after they fledge, but from August to November the juveniles disperse to find a territory of their own to occupy. Sadly if they fail to find a vacant territory, they usually starve.

Diet
Tawny Owls eat small mammals and rodents, small birds, frogs, fish, insects and worms.

Strange and Interesting Facts
The Tawny Owl's night-time habits and eerie, easily imitated call have lead to an association in myth with bad luck and death.