Species of the Month: January 2025

Tawny Owl Strix aluco

The Tawny Owl is our commonest owl in the UK, but is still amber listed with a believed population decline of a third since the 1970s. The species is mottled brown with a dark ring of feathers around the face and large dark eyes. They are a woodland species, but can also be found in parks and gardens with good tree coverage. If you are lucky you may spot one roosting in a tree hollow or nesting box during the day, but this species is mostly known by its distinctive call.

The species is very territorial and sedentary, with established pairs remaining in a territory for life. They call throughout the year to defend their territory, and can be particularly vocal in late winter, making January an ideal time to locate them.

The Tawny Owl is one of the species often recorded by the call alone. When recording a species just by call, please make a note of this in the comments section, and be considerate when assigning a grid reference - a 4-fig / 1km grid reference is often the most appropriate when recording in this way.

The Tawny Owl call is the famous "twit-twoo" call by males, which is often combined with a female "keewik" call in response. You can listen to the calls on the BTO website and learn more about the species on the Barn Owl Trust website. You can view a Wales-wide distribution map here and a 1km distribution map for the SEWBReC area here.

If you hear/spot a Tawny Owl during January (or at any other time of year) please send us the record, ideally via SEWBReCORD or the LERC Wales App. Instructions on how to submit records are available here.