What they like

Quiet. Old trees with cavities. Dark edges of woods, parks and farmyards. Yes, even your garden: as long as there’s cover. Hang a sturdy tawny owl nest box in a quiet spot (preferably 4–6 metres high, with a clear flight approach). Leave messy corners: woodpiles, brush heaps, tall grass. That’s a mouse hotel.

Ecological importance

Nocturnal cleaner. The tawny owl feeds mainly on mice and voles, but also takes shrews, small birds and sometimes a frog. It keeps mouse populations in check in woods, parks and agricultural land. It itself is on the menu for the eagle-owl and sometimes the goshawk. So: cover helps.

When in the Netherlands

All year round. You hear calling most in autumn and early winter. Breeding can start as early as February.

Status

Resident species. Still common, but vulnerable due to road casualties, fewer prey and the loss of old hollow trees. So leave those old knobbly stumps standing.