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Tawny Owl
(Strix aluco)
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 German name(s): "Waldkauz"
Size: 37-46 cm; wing span 80-105 cm
Weight: 385-800 g
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Similar
species |
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Physical description |
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 Click here for a physical description
Tawny Owls are medium-sized, powerful owls.
Their plumage is
highly cryptic.
The two sexes look alike, but
females
tend to be about 5% taller and 25% heavier than
males.
Males
tend to be on average paler and more heavily streaked than
females.
The facial mask of Tawny Owls, which has a dark-grey outer edge,
looks a bit like a pair of goggles because the two halves are
separated by "V"-shaped
plumage
down the forehead to the bill, with a dark stripe down its middle.
There are two morphologies,
grey to grey-brown
and
rufous.
While much of the plumage
is silvery-grey with darker grey streaking, the rest can be either
tinged brown, especially on chest and wing coverts (grey to grey-brown
morphology) or rufous (facial mask; parts of the front, back and wing
coverts - rufous morphology).
The wing coverts show prominent bars of conspicuous silvery-grey
and darker grey spots.
The irises are dark-brown. The bill, legs and feet are grey.
Fledgling young are off-white to light-grey with light vermiculation,
some grey barring on the wing coverts and buff tints on their
flight feathers.
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Taxonomy, classification |
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See Tawny
Owl at Wikipedia  .
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Range, habitat, finding this species |
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Click here for information on habitat
and range
The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and
specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found,
based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to
ebird.org
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The global distribution of the Tawny Owl is available
HERE
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Tawny Owls are a strictly sedentary species.
Depending on authority, there are some 10-15 extant races.
Their overall distribution ranges from north-western Africa,
Iberia, Britain (but not Ireland) and Scandinavia through
Europe into southern central Russia. Their range extends
along the near-coastal parts of Asia Minor, the eastern
coastal fringe of the Mediterranean Sea and all around the
Black Sea, to the Caucasus and on along the southern coastline
of the Caspian Sea.
There are more, spatially separated populations in southern
central to eastern Asia (for details refer to a field guide).
They are not found northward of about 60-62 degrees geographical
latitude.
In Europe there are two races. Nominate race "aluco" populates
northern/central and eastern Europe.
In western Europe, including England/Wales/Scotland, race
"sylvatica" is found.
These two races are present essentially in all of Europe,
except Ireland, northern/central Scandinavia,
north-western/northern European Russia and the lower
Volga Basin.
Tawny Owls have a preference for forest, parkland or
wooded farmland, in particular old-growth forest with
large, old trees for nesting in hollows.
They are very tolerant to the presence of humans.
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Sightings |
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Click here for sighting information
Race "aluco"
S. Cuturilov reports netting, ringing and releasing a Tawny Owl,
nominate race
"aluco",
at Vlasina Lake, Serbia, in October 2019.
J. Pires found a Tawny Owl, race
"aluco",
at Mora, Evora, Portugal, in February 2020.
G. Normand reports finding a Tawny Owl, race
"aluco",
at Parc de la Poudrerie, Vaujours, Seine-Saint-Denis, France, in
January 2021.
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Photos |
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Race "aluco"
Grey morphology
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ADULT |
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Lateral view of a Tawny Owl
(photo courtesy of S. Cuturilov)
[Vlasina Lake, Serbia, October 2019]
Rufous morphology
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ADULT |
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Frontal view of a Tawny Owl
(photo courtesy of G. Normand)
[Parc de la Poudrerie, Vaujours, Seine-Saint-Denis, France,
January 2021]
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Call(s)/Song |
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For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own; are welcome.
More Tawny Owl sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
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These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our
contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species
please refer to a field guide.
Breeding
Nest
Eggs
Behaviour
Food
are welcome.