The tawny owl (Strix aluco) is Britain's most common owl, found wherever there are suitable woodlands, parks, and gardens. Its evocative "twit-twoo" call (actually two birds calling — the female's "ke-wick" contact call answered by the male's "hooo-hu-huuu") is deeply embedded in British culture and countryside.
Tawny owls are strictly nocturnal, emerging after dark to hunt small mammals (primarily field voles, mice, and shrews), earthworms, and occasionally birds. They hunt by sound as much as by sight, with asymmetrically placed ears enabling precise sound localisation. They are highly territorial, holding the same territory year-round, and territorial boundaries are maintained through song year-round.
Tawny owls nest in tree cavities, large nest boxes, old squirrel dreys, and occasionally in buildings. Eggs are laid from February to April; 2-3 eggs hatch after 30 days' incubation. Young owlets leave the nest at 4-5 weeks but remain dependent on parents for food through summer. Young birds dispersing in autumn face very high mortality.
Tawny owls readily use nest boxes in suitable habitat. Boxes should be positioned 3-5m up on a mature tree, facing north or east to avoid overheating, in or adjacent to woodland or mature trees. They will occupy nest boxes in suburban gardens where mature trees are present. Once established, pairs are extremely loyal to nest sites and may use the same box for decades.
Tawny owls are amber-listed in the UK, indicating moderate population decline. Long-term decline is linked primarily to woodland management changes and prey availability rather than persecution. They are fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Road mortality is a significant cause of death, particularly in young dispersing birds.