Daytime hooting

[jennyb]

I went out to my car on our driveway at around lunchtime today and heard an owl hooting (Tawny, I think). We often hear them hooting at night, but this is the first time I have heard it during the day.

Question - is it normal to be hooting during the day, when they are supposed to be nocturnal?

Unfortunately, my sense of hearing is not good so I could not really tell which direction the sound was coming from. I would love to spot one of these birds one day!

Jenny

[aeshna5]

Both Tawny + Long-eared Owls tend to be almost exclusively nocturnal, so unless you know where they are roosting are difficult birds to see, whereas our other 3 species can be seen regularly in daylight, particularly around dawn + dusk.

Tawny Owls are early breeders, usually laying in March, but occasionally in Feb, so male may be being more territorial at the moment. I've certainly heard them calling several times during the day.

Let's hope they have a better breeding season than last year.

[rlchew]

I remember thinking I heard a daytime Tawny Owl at the Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve a few years ago .... and then I knew I was right because it did it again .

It did seem strange as I always associate Tawny Owls with the darkness of night.

Richard

[smartie]

I've occasionally heard them hooting while it was still light in the summer, but never at this time of year. We've not heard our "resident" breeding pair (probably nest on the railway embankment near us) yet this year. Fingers crossed. I've only ever seen them as shadows in the dusk.

[jennyb]

Originally Posted by rlchew

I remember thinking I heard a daytime Tawny Owl at the Loch of the Lowes SWT reserve a few years ago .... and then I knew I was right because it did it again .

Richard

I know what you mean - it took a while for me to realise what I had heard. My subconscious had registered it as "No, can't be"!

Jenny

[Deer Stalker]

Often in Spring when out walking in the Forest I hear them hoot in the day time & as Aeshna says its probably due to them being more teritorial at this time.

Heard one myself on sunday mid-morning.

[jennyb]

Okay, so I should keep my ears and eyes open in the hope of spotting one.

Jenny

[Deer Stalker]

Another easy(ish) way of spotting them is the commotion of the smaller birds when they find a roosting Tawny & mob it.

[rlchew]

This one decided to be up and about during the day and sought unusual sanctuary .

Lucky escape for tawny 'jailbird'

Richard