The Tawny owl often referred to as a Brown Owl, is a stocky, medium-sized bird, commonly found in woodlands across the country, we have had a pair which have been nesting on Brayton Barff my local dog walking area for many years. Its underparts are pale with dark streaks, whilst its upper body may be either brown or grey. The tawny owl typically makes its nest in a tree hole where it can protect its eggs and young against potential predators. It is non-migratory and highly territorial: as a result, when young birds grow up and leave the parental nest, if they cannot find a vacant territory to claim as their own, they will often starve.

The Tawny owl is a nocturnal bird of prey. It can hunt successfully at night because of its sight and hearing as well as its ability to fly silently. It usually hunts by dropping suddenly from a perch and seizing its prey, which it swallows whole. It mainly hunts rodents, and Bank voles.

What makes it a good hunter is its directional hearing skill, its ears are asymmetrically placed, which enables it to more precisely pinpoint the location from which a sound originates. Its eyes are no more sensitive than a human's.

The Tawny Owl makes a distinctive hooting sound, the double hoot, is actually a call and response between a male and a female bird.

The Tawny Owl is an owl similar in size to that of a Woodpigeon. It has a rounded body and head, with a ring of dark feathers around its face surrounding the dark eyes. Our native Tawnies are mainly reddish brown above and paler underneath. They are widespread across the country and can be found in any woodland. The Tawny Owl is the most common owl in the UK, with an estimated 50,000+ pairs the UK and the British Isles.