The size of the territory ranges between 12 and 20 hectares (30 to 50 acres) depending on the amount of suitable habitat available. Typical lifespan is 4 years with breeding in the 2 nd calendar year. Females are generally bigger and heavier than males. Allow ‘Standard’ trees to mature within hedgerows. One deciduous tree every 30 to 50 metres should be allowed to grow and mature in managed hedgerows by avoiding them when flailing or laying. Tawny Owls are primarily a woodland species, but have adapted to live almost anywhere there are trees, including city parks, wooded urban and suburban gardens, farmland hedgerows and copses, as well as more extensive areas of woodland and forestry. The densest populations are found in deciduous, broad-leaved woodland, but they can also be found in coniferous forest and scrub habitats across both pastoral and arable landscapes.

Diet comprises predominantly small mammals, namely Wood Mice ( Apodemus sylvaticus) and Bank Voles ( Myodes glareolus), but can also include Field Voles ( Microtus agrestis) if areas of prey-rich grassland are available within the territory. In addition they will take rabbits, moles, small birds, beetles, earthworms, frogs and even fish. They have been recorded eating carrion in times of hardship. Create new deciduous, broad-leaved plantations adjacent to existing woodlands. These will be beneficial in the short-term when prey-rich rough grassland habitat initially develops between the trees, and in the long-term once mature. Where and when to hear them: British sea cliffs north of Scarborough, Pembrokeshire coast, Farne Islands, end of March to July. Rook Tawnies are by far the most common owl species in the UK, with an estimated population of 50,000 pairs (2005). Nevertheless, they are amber-listed as a Species of Conservation Concern in the UK as a result of recent breeding and winter population and range declines (Eaton et al, 2015).Another great example of wild song is the curlew display, "bubbling". The best time to hear this is spring, when they go up on to moorlands to breed. They nest on the ground, and because there are no trees - nowhere for them to perch - they sing on the wing. One of my favourite sea birds. They make such a characterful sound, you can't help but laugh. They're a challenge to record because they nest underground, inside a honeycomb of burrows. Down at the bottom of the burrow, they sit and chat to the neighbours through the thin walls with this lovely growling, purring sound. Where and when to hear them: Farmland and villages, from late March through summer, early mornings and evenings. Snipe

The reasons for the declines in breeding and winter populations and ranges are poorly understood. Changes in woodland management, increasing urbanisation and/or the influence of climate change on small mammal abundance could be factors, but more research is required. However, the following conservation measures could be of some help, not just for Tawny Owls but for a number of other species as well; Tawny Owls are our most frequently heard/seen owl in and around gardens, but despite our familiarity with these birds, we know little about the impacts of urbanisation on their behaviour, and how it influences our ability to detect their presence. Tawny Owls are reliant on vocalisations, using them to show ownership of a breeding territory, as well as attracting a mate and reinforcing a pair bond. A wetland bird, found in marshy areas, snipe make a mechanical song called "drumming". They fly high, then dive. When they are at speed they put their tail feathers out at 90 degrees to the body, and the stiff sections produce this rasping sound. One of the best times to hear this is at dusk in May. Traditionally they were regarded as spirits - people would be coming home from a countryside pub and hear this sound where there were apparently no birds.The home range is typically established in the late autumn, and defended throughout the winter until the spring when breeding commences. Vocalisations are common throughout this period, most often at night, although some calling can occasionally be heard in broad daylight. Widely distributed across much of Great Britain, they are absent only from islands (Isle of Man, Channel Islands, Northern and Western Isles, Scillies etc.), and uplands where there are few or no trees. As might be expected from a species unwilling or unable to undertake short sea crossings they are entirely absent from Ireland.