Whilst my family and I were out at Shaugh Prior on Dartmoor the other night trying to spot Comet Pan-STARRS, an eerie sound started emanating from some nearby trees. It was actually an Owl hooting and it frightened my little boy quite a bit that he ended up going back into the car! It didn’t help that it was almost pitch black and freezing cold as well!
We later had a look in our birding book and online and found that the hooting was coming from a Tawny Owl. It must have been in a nearby tree across the field from where we were stargazing as the hoot was quite loud.
Tawny Owls are common throughout the UK and are resident all year long. They are often found near fields, where there are plenty of mice and other small mammals to feed on. The more food sources, the more likely you are to find these owls. Sizewise, they are larger than a Pigeon but smaller than a Mallard with brown and cream colourings. They have a short, black/dark grey beak and walk or run whilst on the ground. They roost in trees and amongst ivy, with their roosting sites often being found by looking for pellets that they have dropped to the ground.
Tawny Owls are elegant in flight and great looking, but their hooting can make them very eerie indeed, especially in the dark of night in the middle of nowhere!