The Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) is a common, medium-sized species found across a large geographical area. This highly territorial bird is a non-migratory resident, meaning that once an owl establishes its home, it typically remains there for life. Its habitat selection involves specific environments and structures used for nesting and resting.
Global Distribution and Range
The Tawny Owl has an extensive, though discontinuous, range across the Palearctic region, covering temperate Eurasia and parts of North Africa. Its primary distribution stretches across Europe, beginning in Great Britain and extending eastward through Western Siberia and Central Asia. The range includes the Iberian Peninsula and reaches as far as Korea in the east and the Himalayan mountain range in the south.
A specific subspecies, Strix aluco mauritanica, extends the owl’s presence into northwestern Africa, including Morocco and Tunisia. The Tawny Owl is completely absent from Ireland and generally avoids many offshore islands, likely due to its reluctance to cross short stretches of open water.
In the northern parts of its distribution, the owl primarily occupies lowland areas. However, it is found at higher altitudes in central and southern regions, breeding up to 1,600 meters in the Alps and reaching elevations of 2,800 meters in parts of Myanmar.
Specific Environmental Requirements
Tawny Owls are woodland birds, with the densest populations found within mature deciduous or broad-leaved forests. These environments provide the necessary combination of tall trees for shelter and open understory for hunting. They also inhabit mixed forests and use mature conifer plantations, especially near sources of water.
The species has a high tolerance for, and successful adaptation to, human-modified landscapes. It frequently colonizes suburban and urban areas, utilizing large city parks, cemeteries, and wooded gardens where sufficient tree cover remains. This urban presence depends on the availability of wooded patches and is lower in highly urbanized areas where resources are scarce.
Habitat selection is driven by the need for a mix of open and closed spaces. Closed-canopy areas offer secure cover for daytime roosting, while adjacent open spaces, such as agricultural fields or suburban lawns, provide accessible hunting grounds for small mammals like wood mice and voles. Territory size is flexible, ranging between 12 and 20 hectares, adjusting based on the quality and density of available habitat and prey.
Selection of Nesting and Roosting Locations
The locations chosen by Tawny Owls for breeding and resting depend on the presence of mature, older trees. They are primarily “hole nesters,” strongly preferring natural tree cavities and hollows, which protect their eggs and young. The most sought-after sites are often found in ancient oaks or other large trees where a vertical “chimney” has formed after a branch or trunk has broken off.
When natural tree holes are unavailable, the owls become opportunistic. They readily use large, purpose-built nest boxes that mimic a deep cavity. Other nesting locations include the abandoned nests of large birds, such as crows or magpies, and occasionally squirrel dreys.
For daytime roosting, the owls seek dense cover to remain hidden from predators and mobbing by small birds. This cover is usually found high on a branch close to a tree trunk, or within thick ivy or dense foliage. In settings where mature trees are sparse, the owls may use human structures, such as holes in abandoned buildings or rock crevices, although nesting in buildings is rare.