Tawny owl Strix aluco © Photo by Thinesh Thirugnanasampanthar Key FactsLength: 37-39cmWingspan: 99cmWeight: 420-520gAverage lifespan: 4 years Tawny owls are our largest common owl; the familiar ‘brown owl’ of Britain’s woodlands they are also found in parks and gardens. Tawny owls make the familiar ‘too-wit too-woo’ call during the night and early hours but this is actually a male and female owl calling to each other – the female makes the ‘too-wit’ sound and the male answers with ‘too-woo’. They feed on small animals like voles and mice, looking out for them from a favourite perch. Nesting usually takes place in spring in hollow trees or an old crow’s nest. How to Identify Unmistakable: tawny owls are mottled grey- or reddish-brown with a big, round head, large, dark eyes and rounded wings. Where to Find Widespread but absent from Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. How People Can Help Although the tawny owl is not declining their woodland habitats are disappearing and the intensification of agriculture has reduced the availability of their small mammal prey. The Wildlife Trusts are working closely with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices. We are working towards a ‘Living Landscape’: a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener vision for the future by joining your local Wildlife Trust. Did you know? Like other owls, tawny owls can famously turn their head through 270 degrees and are able to look behind them. Although owls have binocular vision, their forward-facing eyes cannot move in the sockets so they must turn their heads instead. Similar Species Barn Owl Birds Black-Headed Gull Birds Blackbird Birds Blackcap Birds Blue Tit Birds Bullfinch Birds Buzzard Birds Canada Goose Birds Carrion Crow Birds Chaffinch Birds Chiffchaff Birds Coal Tit Birds Collared Dove Birds Coot Birds Curlew Birds Dipper Birds Dunnock Birds Fieldfare Birds Goldcrest Birds Golden Plover Birds Goldfinch Birds Great Spotted Woodpecker Birds Great Tit Birds Greenfinch Birds Grey Heron Birds Grey Wagtail Birds Hen Harrier Birds Herring Gull Birds House Sparrow Birds Jackdaw Birds Jay Birds Kestrel Birds Kingfisher Birds Lapwing Birds Linnet Birds Little Egret Birds Little Grebe Birds Long-Tailed Tit Birds Magpie Birds Mallard Birds Mandarin Duck Birds Meadow Pipit Birds Mistle Thrush Birds Moorhen Birds Nightjar Birds Nuthatch Birds Peregrine falcon Birds Redwing Birds Robin Birds Siskin Birds Skylark Birds Snipe Birds Song Thrush Birds Sparrowhawk Birds Starling Birds Swallow Birds Swift Birds Tree Sparrow Birds Treecreeper Birds Waxwing Birds Wheatear Birds Whitethroat Birds Willow Warbler Birds Wood Pigeon Birds Wood Warbler Birds Wren Birds