the tawny owl
BOMBY
There is something fascinating about every animal. And today we are going to peek into the amazing world of tawny owls. Let's meet Bomby, a papa owl with a big heart who is very, very protective.
In the woods near Winterberg, in Germany, Bomby lives with Lua, his companion for a whole lifetime. Did you know that tawny owls choose one partner and stay together forever?! Their home is somewhere very special: snug inside the hollow of an old oak tree, and it is Lua who keeps it cozy on the inside.
Bomby and Lua are owls of the night. While the whole forest sleeps, they wake up to live: to hunt, to explore, and to come home for dinner together. And if anyone comes near the nest! BANG! Bomby does not think twice: he dives in a swoop and shoos any intruder away. That is exactly how he got his name!
On a cold winter night, Bomby sets out to look for food. But a sound makes him stop in mid-air: a peep. A peep he knows well, the peep of a tawny owl, just like his brothers and sisters. Only this is a baby's peep, and it sounds like a frightened little one.
It is time to take a closer look. Bomby drops down in a quick, silent swoop, and there they are: two big, dark, round eyes, catching the light of the full moon. A little owl all alone, with her tiny foot caught between the branches. Very gently, Bomby frees her foot. And, not having the heart to leave her there alone in the dark, he guides the little one back to his nest.
Lua gets quite a surprise when Bomby arrives with company! But one look at that little lost face... and that is that: now there is a new member of the family.
And the family only grows. A few months later, Lua lays her own eggs. And guess how many? Tawny owls lay from two to five at a time! Soon the oak hollow is full of open little beaks and hungry peeps. Now there is even more work for Bomby: a big family to feed and protect. While Lua keeps the chicks warm, brooding over them, it is Bomby who brings all the food, flight after flight, night after night. Each new little voice in the nest is a new spice in that happy mess. And for Bomby, there is always room for one more.
But wait... how does Bomby hear one lost little chick, in the middle of that pitch-dark forest?
The secret is in his face. That round disc of feathers works like an antenna, gathering up every little sound and carrying it to his ears. And an owl's ears sit at different heights, one higher than the other, like a radar that points to exactly where each sound comes from. And Bomby's wings are so soft that he flies without making a single sound. So, in the dark, Bomby does not need to see to find someone who needs help... ...he only needs to listen.
WHO IS THE TAWNY OWL: It is the most common woodland owl in Europe (Strix aluco), the classic "tuit-tuu" owl of storybooks. It has a round face, big dark eyes, and no "ear" tufts.
WHERE IT LIVES: In the woods and parks of Europe, including Germany. It nests in the hollows of old trees like oak and beech, and it also happily takes to nest boxes.
ITS SIZE: It is about 37 to 43 cm long, and its wings open 94 to 104 cm wide. It weighs between 330 and 590 grams, and the female is larger and heavier than the male.
WHAT IT EATS: Mice, voles, and shrews, plus small birds, frogs, worms, and beetles. It hunts by "sit and wait": it stays still on a branch and drops down in silence onto its prey.
THE FAMILY AND THE "TUIT-TUU": Tawny owls choose one partner for life and sing in a duet: the male gives a trembling "hu-hu-huuuu" and the female answers with a sharp "ke-uik." So the famous "tuit-tuu" is really two owls talking to each other!
EGGS AND CHICKS: The female lays two to five white eggs in the tree hollow and broods them alone for about 28 to 30 days, while the male brings all the food. The chicks leave the nest before they can even fly and balance on the nearby branches, taking wing at around 5 to 6 weeks.
ITS SUPERPOWER: It hunts in total darkness using only sound. Its ears sit at different heights (like a radar), the round disc of its face funnels sound (like a satellite dish), and its soft feathers make its flight silent. It can even turn its head around 270 degrees to look behind.
HOW LONG IT LIVES: About 5 years in the wild, though one tawny owl reached 18 years (and more than 27 in captivity).
IS THE TAWNY OWL IN DANGER? It depends where. Overall it is listed as Least Concern, and Germany alone is home to around 43,000 to 75,000 pairs. Its biggest threat is the cutting of old, hollow trees, which are its only natural nurseries.
IF YOU EVER FIND ONE: Admire it from a distance and never disturb a nest. If you really want to help, a nest box in a garden or park gives a whole family a home. And the old trees too: the more left standing, the more owls.
A FUN FACT: In medieval Germany, the tawny owl was feared as a "bird of death" (Totenvogel) because of its call. But it was all a misunderstanding: it only circled the windows because the candles drew in moths, its dinner! A gentle, misunderstood owl.
SOURCES: Barn Owl Trust RSPB Wikipedia (Tawny Owl) Binocular Base Bird on the Hand World of Owls NABU Robert E Fuller (Bomber & Luna)
Facts about the tawny owl