Birds · tawny owl
Discover the tawny owl
A deep “hoo” in the fading woodland light. Puschel and Flauschi spot a tawny owl on its branch and quietly walk on.
The short answer
A tawny owl is mostly active at night and has a round head and dark eyes. Good hearing and low-light vision help it. You may hear its voice without spotting the bird.
Listen to the animal
Real sounds from nature
Listen to the tawny owl
A real nature recording of this bird’s song or call.
Recording: Jugrü · Original title: Waldkauz.ogg · CC BY-SA 3.0 · MP3 conversion of the original recordingAn imagined Wusel scene
Puschel and Flauschi investigate
As the woodland grows dark, Puschel and Flauschi hear a deep “Hoo.” A tawny owl sits on a branch. They move on quietly and leave it in peace.
Puschel wonders whether the owl has hidden ear tufts. Flauschi“Tawny owls do not have those visible feather tufts,” Flauschi whispers. They stop looking up and walk calmly on. Puschel saves his next question for a brighter woodland walk.
Real animal facts
Four things to know
Round head
Its large head looks almost round.
No ear tufts
Unlike some other owls, it has no visible ear tufts.
Bark-coloured feathers
Its patterned plumage helps it blend into tree bark. There are brown, reddish-brown and grey colour forms.
Calls at dusk
Its long calls are mainly heard at dusk and at night.
Mini quiz
What do you remember?
1. What shape is a tawny owl’s head?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)Round head
- b)Long ear tufts
- c)Narrow head with a long beak
Show answer
Correct answer: a): Round head Round head
2. What colour form can a tawny owl have besides brown?
Choose one answer: a), b) or c).
- a)Uniform snowy white
- b)Grey
- c)Yellow with black wing stripes
Show answer
Correct answer: b): Grey Grey
Explore in more detail
Here you will find longer explanations and further details. You can explore them together.
Understand step by step
How it works – simply explained
Camouflage works at resting places
Brown or grey patterns can visually blend with bark, making the bird harder to notice.
A round head is not an ear test
Tawny owls lack visible ear tufts. Those tufts in other owls are not actual hearing openings anyway.
Calls are animal messages
Calls vary and pictures contain no sound. Listen quietly to existing recordings rather than luring animals at night.