Owls

Home › Animals › Birds

Globally owls represent a large bird family with a cosmopolitan distribution, being found on almost every continent. About 190 species of owl are known to science, seven of which are known from Britain: the Barn owl (Tyto alba); Tawny owl (Strix aluco); Little owl (Athene noctua); Long-eared owl (Asio otus); Short-eared owl (Asio flammeus); Eagle owl (Bubo bubo); and, very occasionally in the far north, the Snowy owl (Bubo scandiacus).

Species

Barn owl

Tyto alba

The barn owl is probably Britain's most recognisable owl and was once a common sight in pastureland, although numbers appear to be in decline.

European Eagle owl

Bubo bubo

An uncommon owl in Britain, the Eagle owl is found patchily distributed in northern England and on Scotland's east coast.

Little owl

Athene noctua

Britain's smallest owl species, the Little owl was originally introduced by the Victorians and has since established itself as a well-known part of our countryside.

Long-eared owl

Asio otis

A rarely seen owl of predominantly coniferous woodland, more common in Ireland and northern England, in forests were there are few Tawnies.

Short-eared owl

Asio flammeus

A resident of northern moors and, more recently, southern marshes and grasslands, "shorties" are one of the few day-hunting owls.

Snowy owl

Bubo scandiacus

An uncommon vagrant to Britain, the Snowy owl last bred successfully here in 1975, but individuals of this unmistakable owl still overwinter in Scotland.

Tawny owl

Strix aluco

Probably Britain's most common owl species and the source of the familiar "twit-twoowoo" call.

No questions exist for this group.

Bibliography

To see references, visit the bibliography for this class.

Links