Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is an Indian Bird that bears scientific name "Strix aluco" is common in Asian and Indian states.
Structure of Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a stocky, medium-sized owl commonly found in woodlands across much of Eurasia. The under parts of Tawny Owl or Brown Owl are pale with dark streaks, and the upperparts are either brown or grey. Several of the eleven recognised subspecies have both variants.
Nests of Tawny Owl
The nest of Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is typically in a tree hole where it can protect its eggs and young against potential predators.
Nature of Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is non-migratory and highly territorial. Many young birds starve if they cannot find a vacant territory once parental care ceases.
Behaviour of Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is nocturnal in nature. This bird of prey hunts mainly rodents, usually by dropping from a perch to seize its prey, which it swallows whole; in more urban areas its diet includes a higher proportion of birds. Vision and hearing adaptations and silent flight aid its night hunting. Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is capable of catching smaller owls, but is itself vulnerable to the eagle owl or northern goshawk.
Vision in Night by Tawny Owl
Although many people believe this owl has exceptional night vision, its retina is no more sensitive than a human`s. Rather, it is its asymmetrically placed ears that are key to its hunting because they give the Tawny Owl excellent directional hearing. Its nocturnal habits and eerie, easily imitated call, have led to a mythical association of the Tawny Owl with bad luck and death.
Structure of Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is a robust bird, 37-46 cm in length, with an 81-105 cm wingspan. The weight of Tawny Owl or Brown Owl can range from 385 to 800 g.
It is a large rounded head that lacks ear tufts, and the facial disc surrounding the dark brown eyes is usually rather plain. The nominate race has two morphs which differ in their plumage colour, one from having rufous brown upperparts and the other greyish brown, although intermediates also occur. The under parts of both morphs are whitish and streaked with brown. This species is sexually dimorphic; the female is much larger than the male, 5% longer and more than 25% heavier.
Concentration of Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is found in deciduous and mixed forests, and sometimes mature conifer plantations, preferring locations with access to water. Cemeteries, gardens and parks have allowed it to spread into urban areas, including central London. The Tawny Owl is mainly a lowland bird in the colder parts of its range, but breeds to 550 metres (1,800 ft) in Scotland, 1,600 m (5,250 ft) in the Alps, 2,350 m (7,700 ft) in Turkey, and up to 2,800 m (9,180 ft) in Myanmar (Burma).
