Tawny owl: hated by all the birds of the forest (12 photos)

The tawny owl's life is a daily harassment. It's pecked, objects are thrown at it, and it's bombarded with excrement. The owl receives a full dose of hatred from its feathered neighbors as soon as it emerges from its nest.





Two alarm clocks in a row are trying to wake me up for work. They're not working.

Day after day, the tawny owl stoically endures the bullying of crows, ravens, jackdaws, rooks, thrushes, jays, hawks, and golden eagles—almost every bird has a grudge against the owl. The smaller ones yell at it from all sides. The smarter ones hurl sticks, branches, and other debris at the tawny owl. The more brazen ones bombard it with droppings! You can even witness the bullying yourself if you go to the nearest forest or even a park—almost all the birds of Eurasia bully the poor bird.



A conflict has broken out between Hogwarts and Game of Thrones delivery people.

Dense forest vegetation makes it easier for the owl to hide from annoying haters. Its mottled camouflage helps it camouflage itself—its body, weighing no more than a kilogram, is covered in brown or gray speckles, helping it blend in with the bark until nightfall. The tawny owl isn't too picky about its habitat—tree hollows, abandoned nests, and even birdhouses will do, as long as it fits.





This hollow tree clearly wants to sleep.

Sitting in its shelter forever, far from the angry crowd, is, alas, not an option. A growling stomach will make itself known, a rather unpleasant warning that the calories won't be self-sustaining. Therefore, after waiting for the cover of darkness, the owl goes hunting. The tawny owl's main landmarks in the gloomy thicket are sight and hearing. Those charming eyes, in which one could drown, take up up to 70% of the skull! But it's not the size that matters, but the shape. The owl's eyeball is more pear-shaped. This design helps maximize the size and brightness of the image hitting the retina at the back of the eye. This allows tawny owls to see at night 2.5 times better than humans.



Most birds of prey, which possess paranormally acute vision, have an eyeball shaped like that of an owl.



It is precisely because of this reflective quality that owls' eyes glow so infernally.

Just because you can't be seen doesn't mean you can't be heard. And tawny owls have very good hearing. Their ears are positioned asymmetrically: one on top, one on the bottom. This allows the bird to accurately detect the source of sounds. The saucer-shaped face is also no accident. Like radar, it collects all the surrounding rustlings and squeaks, directing them to the owl's ears.



The picture shows a diagram of a barn owl's ears. But most owls have the same design.



The owls' enormous ears are hidden beneath their feathers and can be a bit intimidating to anyone who tries to pet them.

Here we come to the secret of all birds' hatred of tawny owls. Usually, owls silently snatch mice and other rodents from the ground, catching them in a silent dive. But their keen hearing also picks up other signals—the squeaks of chicks in their nests. Too easy a catch! Too tasty!



The city falls asleep. The mafia awakens!

A tawny owl flies into a nest unceremoniously and brutally, like a robber. The result is obvious: the owl mercilessly pounces on the sleeping parents, devours their chicks, and disappears into the darkness of the night before anyone has time to recover. And sometimes, the parents, too, are sent into its insatiable belly!



Oh, only you, little fish, understand me... And others peck and insult her all day.

That's why she gets her daily dose of screams, pecks, and general "righteous" anger. The enraged birds alert everyone around to this dangerous element in avian society. The tawny owl endures these attacks. She waits until nightfall to repeat the process. However, if the owl is harassed too much, the tawny owl may actually change her location.



Everyone hates me. And the feeling is mutual!

The tawny owl treats its young with reverent awe. Owls are monogamous companions. It's easier to endure hatred from everyone around you when you have a reliable shoulder to lean on. The couple chooses a patch of forest for themselves and prepares to defend themselves against anyone who dares approach the nest.



One pair occupies a territory of 2 to 10 square kilometers.

Tawny owls begin to conceive their offspring in early spring. A clutch of two or three eggs is guarded with utmost ferocity. Diurnal birds thirst for bloody revenge: crows, hawks, and eagles break the eggs and devour the chicks. Martens and cats join them. The defense of the nest lasts two months. After this, the younger generation of predators becomes independent and is ready to continue their series of mutual war crimes!



This is a fledgling owl, a baby bird that hasn't yet learned to fly but has already left the nest. If you encounter one in the forest, don't touch it or "rescue" it. Firstly, it doesn't need help; it will grow stronger and become a full-grown adult. Secondly, its parents are nearby and feed it periodically. If you approach it or pick it up, the parents may attack you and strike you in the back of the head with their talons.