Tawny Owls

Tawny owls If you are ever walking in Kensington Gardens take care to have a look up because who knows you might see a Tawny owl or two! Tawny owls are known to roost in various parts of central London and I am aware of pair who has been successfully breeding for a number of years next to Hyde Park. So recently went on my annual trips generally before May as by then trees are full of leaves and spotting the owls is more difficult. Not only did I find the adult pair I was fortunate enough to find their four owlets. Alas I could only get three of them sitting together – one owlet and judging by its size the eldest wasn’t playing ball! Tawny owls (Strix aluca) generally prefer forests but will settle in urban parks and gardens. These are certainly the first ones I have seen in Central London. I don’t know how many pairs there are in London, but am aware there have been sightings in another part of Hyde Park/Green Park borders, Richmond Park and also Regents Park. Maybe the ones in the other parts of Hyde Park are previous offspring of the pair I have seen? The owlets will be chased off at the age of several months to find their own territory, if they don’t find one - they will starve. Tawny owls tend to remain in their territory for many years I do not know the exact size of an owls range but would presume it would depend on availability and amount of food source. As for what they eat, a Tawny’s diet is varied; they will eat rodents, insects and other birds. The ones in Kensington Gardens live off a plentiful supply of squirrels, rats and even the odd bat. The adult pair I saw seem settled and I am led to believe have been in this part of the park for a couple of years (last year raising 4 owlets) I don’t know whether this is because the city is becoming greener or the owls themselves are adapting to urban life. They don’t appear to have any predators (though they do get mobbed by crows from time to time) Perhaps the biggest danger to them is the city traffic.