Tawny Owl (Strix aluco)

OTHER NAMES: Brown Owl
Latin Etymology: Strix ("owl") aluco (Italian species specific name)

Adult Tawny Owl (subspecies S. a. sylvatica) at Eldernell, Cambridgeshire - February 2024

Featured Subspecies: Strix aluco sylvatica
Weight: 470g  /  Length: 37-46cm  /  Wingspan: 81-105cm
UK GREEN LIST / IUCN Red List: Least Concern

The UK's largest and most common established owl, the Tawny owl is the typical brown owl found in the UK. It is also the most obligate nocturnal of the five species, and can be one of the more difficult species to see in daylight. For the most part however, this is a bird far more often heard than seen, with it's iconic "twit-tuwoo"call, both at night and in the day, though it should be noted that this call is actually that of the male and female birds calling together.

Related Species:
Order: Strigiformes
Family: Strigidae
Genus: Strix
Subspecies: S. a. aluco, S. a. siberiae, S. a. sylvatica, S. a. mauritanica, S. a. willkonskii, S. a. sanctinicolai, S. a. harmsi, S. a. biddulphi  

- Sighting Locations -

UNITED KINGDOM - A widespread but secretive resident (50,000 pairs)

 - Seen at Kensington Gardens, Nene Washes  and Geddington.    

Further Notes: BirdForum Opus, IUCN Red List, RSPB, Wikipedia, Xeno-canto