Size: The tawny owl is a robust bird: 37–46 cm in length, with an 81–105 cm wingspan. Weight can range from 385 to 800 g.

Vocalisations: The commonly heard female contact call is a shrill, kew-wick but the male has a quavering advertising song hoo...ho, ho, hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo.

Habitat: The tawny owl is non-migratory; this species is found in deciduous and mixed forests, and sometimes mature conifer plantations, preferring locations with access to water.

Behaviour: Tawny owls pair off from the age of one year, and stay together in a usually monogamous relationship for life. The owl typically nests in a hole in a tree, but will also use old European magpie nests, squirrel dray or holes in buildings, and readily takes to nest boxes. The typical clutch of two or three eggs. The parents care for young birds for two or three months after they fledge. The tawny owl hunts almost entirely at night, watching from a perch before dropping or gliding silently down to its victim. This species takes a wide range of prey, mainly woodland rodents, but also other mammals up to the size of a young rabbit, and birds, earthworms and beetles. Prey is typically swallowed whole. In Latvia, there are 15,000-25,000 couples.

Photo: Māris Kreicbergs