Home > Indian History > Flora & Fauna > Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl
Tawny Owl or Brown Owl is an Indian bird species found in the woodlands of Eurasia and the Indian states.

Share this Article:

Tawny Owl, Indian BirdTawny 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.

Tawny Owl, Indian BirdBehaviour 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. Tawny Owl, Indian BirdIt 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).


Share this Article:

Related Articles

More Articles in Flora & Fauna


Flora Of Uttarakhand
Uttaranchal falls under the west Himalayan Biogeography zone and it is well-known for floral diversity .
Flora and Fauna of Ladakh
Flora and Fauna is typical to t he kind of mountainous terrain which dominate the entire landscape of the region. Though some varieties of fauna are to be found here, the vegetation is very limited due to the dry and cold climate.
Flora and fauna in Tripura
Two-thirds of Tripura is forested where different species of trees, orchids, birds and wildlife are found. There are four sanctuaries in the state namely, Rowa wildlife sanctuary, Sepahijala wildlife sanctuary, Trishna wildlife sanctuary and Gumti wildlife sanctuary.
Flora and Fauna in Meghalaya
70 percent of Meghalaya is forested. Meghalayan forests are considered to be among the richest botanical habitats of Asia. These forests receive abundant rainfall and support a vast variety of floral and faunal biodiversity.
Flora and Fauna of Jammu & Kashmir
Jammu and Kashmir is rich in flora and fauna. Flora includes thorn bush type of the arid plain to the temperate and alpine flora of the higher altitudes. Faunal species found here are leopard, cheetah and deer, wild sheep, bear, brown musk shrew, muskrat; varieties of snakes, bats, lizards etc.
Flora and fauna in Andaman and Nicobar Islands
Economy of this region is primly based on agriculture. In Andaman island, paddy is the main food crop, while in Nicoabar island coconut and areca nut are the main crops. Some field crops like pulses, oilseeds and vegetables are also grown here.
Flora And Fauna Of Uttar Pradesh
Flora and Fauna of Uttar Pradesh is widely diversified and adds pride to the state.
Flora and fauna of Kerala
Flora and Fauna of Kerala are diverse. The favourable climate with heavy rainfall and good quality of the soils helps both the flora and fauna to thrive. Forest covers a large area in the Western Ghats of Kerala.
Flora and fauna of Karnataka
Flora and fauna of Karnataka are diverse and comprise of plants, animals, birds, reptiles, etc. Flora of Karnataka comprises of species like eucalyptus, teak and rosewood. Fauna of Karnataka comprises of species like leopard, gaur and wild pig.
Flora and Fauna of Rajasthan
The flora and fauna of Rajasthan supports all kinds of animal species and forests. The diverse flora and fauna of Rajasthan has made it a popular tourist destination.
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh
Flora of Arunachal Pradesh includes infinite species and is a subject of great interests for the botanists.
Flora and Fauna of Manipur
Flora and fauna of Manipur are known to be the assemblage of a huge variety including the endangered ones. The place is especially famed for orchid species which includes the most vibrant and beautiful ones of the world.