Don’t be fooled by the wiry grey fluff – these chicks are brand new, having been born in this year’s tawny owl baby boom.
Experts in Kielder Forest, a remote area of the northeast and a haven for wildlife, have reported an almost four-fold increase in the number of tawny owls raising chicks this season, from 25 pairs in 2022 up to 90 pairs this year.
An increase in the number of voles, the bird’s most important prey, is behind the population bump.
Kielder Forest, which covers 63,000 hectares, has 240 nest boxes for tawny owls, part of its more than four decade long monitoring programme. During that time, thousands of chicks have been ringed as part of the study, revealing most tend to live within just a quarter of a mile from where they were born, and can live for more than 20 years.
‘Chick numbers are linked to the vole population, which undergoes a natural cycle of boom and bust,’ said Forestry England ornithologist Martin Davison said.
‘When they are abundant, owls have more chicks. When they are scarce, many skip breeding and wait for better times.
‘We’ve been working with Aberdeen University to chart this cycle with surveys so we anticipated a good year was just around the corner.’
He added: ‘Long term studies like this are research gold-dust. It’s shown that upland forests can support a thriving and stable tawny population when sensitively managed.
‘It’s a tribute to the long-term skill and dedication of our foresters and ecologists.’
Not only are chicks ringed with a unique identifier, but they are also weighed and have one of their wings measured.
‘Young tawnies are very docile and it’s a painless experience for them,’ said Mr Davison.
‘Looking like bundles of fluff, they always bring a smile to my face.’
The lowdown: Tawny owls
Scientific name Strix aluco
Size The tawny owl is a smaller member of the family, only about the size of a woodpigeon
Colour Tawny owls in the UK are mainly reddish brown above and paler underneath. They have a ring of dark feathers around their face surrounding the dark eyes
Diet Small mammals and rodents, small birds, frogs, fish, insects and worms
Conservation status Amber (moderate concern)
Source: RSPB
MORE : Pesticides and fertilisers leaving birds without enough food for their chicks
MORE : House sparrows are UK’s most common bird – but numbers have fallen by 22million
