Tawny owl
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Tawny owl
Bird
Collective name: a parliament
A woodland owl commonly heard making the classic 'twit twoo' call.
💡 Fun Facts
- They have specialized fringed feathers that allow them to fly completely silently.
- They are strictly nocturnal and rely on exceptional hearing to hunt in the dark.
- The 'twit twoo' sound is actually two owls calling to each other (a female's 'twit' and a male's 'twoo').
- They rarely drink water as they get all hydration they need directly from their diet. The protein and fat in their prey break down to water inside their bodies.
Name Story
Strix aluco
means “the night-witch owl”
What does its name mean?
- Strix — a screech-owl — and a striga, a vampire-witch bird of Roman legend that flew by nightLatin/Greek
- aluco — owlan old Italian name, alocco
- tawny — warm brownAnglo-Norman tauné, for its plumage
Britain's classic hooting night owl carries a spooky name: 'Strix' was a vampire-witch bird of Roman legend that flew in the dark. And the famous 'twit-twoo'? It is really two owls talking — the female calls 'kewick' and the male answers 'hoo-hoo-oo'.