The tawny owl (Strix aluco) is a medium-sized owl found throughout much of Eurasia. It is also known as the brown owl, wood owl, and in some areas, the hoot owl. Tawny owls are nocturnal and rely heavily on vocalizations to communicate and defend territories. Their most familiar call is a drawn out “hoo-hoo-hoooo” that can often be heard at night. But tawny owls have an extensive vocal repertoire with different calls used in different contexts. Understanding the meaning behind these vocalizations provides insight into tawny owl behavior and ecology.
Advertising Call
The advertising call, sometimes referred to as the territorial call or hooting call, is the most commonly heard tawny owl vocalization. This is a male’s way of advertising his territory and trying to attract a mate. The call starts with a drawn out “hoo” sound that drops slightly in pitch and then rises on the second “hoo.” There is then a longer “hoooo” sound that falls in pitch at the end. This classic call can be heard repeatedly throughout the night in early spring, which is the start of the breeding season. Males call more vigorously when establishing a new territory and advertising for a new mate. The pattern and structure of the male’s hoot remains consistent and is distinct between individual owls. This allows females to identify males by call alone and choose among potential mates. The advertising call not only proclaims ownership of a territory but also serves to ward off rival males.
Contact Call
While the advertising hoot advertises a male’s availability, the contact call works to identify mate location. This call is used by mated male and female tawny owls throughout the breeding season to communicate their whereabouts. The contact call is a shorter, faster series of notes sounding like “kee-wick!” or “kwick-kwick-kwick.” Contact calls are often described as more raspy and urgent sounding. Mates may call back and forth using this higher-pitched and abrupt vocalization to signal their position. This frequent contact between pairs helps the male continue providing food for the incubating female and later, the hatchlings. Contact calls are also used by parents and offspring to communicate the location of food and maintain contact, especially when offspring are fledging and learning to hunt. The urgency of these calls reflects their importance in maintaining proximity of mates and family units.
Alarm Call
Alarm calls signify danger and alert other owls to potential threats. These include the presence of predators as well as territorial intrusions by rival tawny owls. Alarm calls are very high-pitched, piercing shrieks that sound like “kee-kee-kee.” The alarm call often prompts other owls to join in, creating a loud chorus that sees off intruders. Alarm calls are sometimes mixed with aggressive screeching and wing-flapping displays to drive the intruder away. This mobbing behavior in numbers helps defend territories and deters predators. The urgency and speed of the alarm call differentiates it from the slower, rhythmic pattern of contact or advertising calls. The alarm call puts neighboring owls on high alert and signals imminent threat.
Begging Call
Young tawny owlets start emitting begging calls while still in the nest. These calls consist of continuous raspy screeching noises used to beg for food. The loud and grating quality of the call makes it very hard to ignore. Begging calls start off fairly quiet but increase in volume and insistence as hunger builds. Begging calls prompt the parents to deliver food, first to the female on the nest and later directly to the fledglings. As well as communicating hunger, the begging call allows parent owls to locate the owlets when they are out of sight in vegetation. The relentless hunger-induced screeching ceases once food is received. However, owlets soon start calling again once hunger returns, ensuring a continual supply of prey from the hunting parents.
Screech Call
The screech call is used in aggressive encounters between tawny owls. This call is like a harsh, rasping scream that sounds like “skREEaaah.” Screech calls are often combined with upright wing-flapping displays and lunging movements to make the owl appear larger and more threatening. Screech calls occur when defending a nest site or when disputing territorial boundaries against intruding owls. This aggressive screaming matches the high-intensity alarm call and signals attack. The screech call is meant to proclaim dominance and ward off rivals without actual combat. However, physical fights can ensue if neither rival backs down. In this way, the screech functions as both a threat display and a defensive attack if needed.
Duetting
Tawny owl pairs often commune using synchronized calling referred to as duetting. Most duetting involves combined male hooting and female kewick contact calls. The male’s drawn out hoots provide the acoustic structure, while the higher-pitched female contact calls are inserted in between. The resulting duet has a rhythmic, flowing pattern that is unique to each pair. Duetting serves to strengthen the pair-bond while also acting as a joint territorial display. The perfectly coordinated calling signals both the presence of a pair and their unity in defense of the territory. Duetting peaks during courtship and pair formation but continues year-round in established pairs. The efficiency of hunting and defending a territory is improved by cooperative duetting compared to a single owl alone.
Nestling Calls
Very young tawny owlets emit a rapid, raspy twittering sound known as nestling calls. These are short, high-pitched calls like “tseeep.” Nestling calls are first made by chicks while still in the egg, allowing parents to locate the nest. Calls continue after hatching whenever the chicks are startled or distressed. When cradled under the female, content chicks emit faint nestling calls at regular intervals to signal their wellbeing. If disadvantaged, the calls grow louder and more insistent to draw the parents’ attention. Nestling calls transition into the louder begging call as the chicks grow and hunger increases. However, faint nestling peeps continue for several weeks alongside begging as a means of staying in contact with parents.
Snoring Call
A strange snoring call can be heard at tawny owl nests during late spring and summer. This call is made by chicks at the nest during daylight hours while waiting for the parents to return with food during the night. The call is a raspy growling noise that sounds like a cat purring. Ornithologists believe this snoring call signals contentment in chicks satiated from the previous night’s meal. A hungry chick is less likely to snore. The snoring call when the adults return offers assurance that the chick is alive and well-fed in their absence. A lack of snoring may prompt additional hunting efforts to nourish needy chicks. In this way, the unique snoring call provides information on the status of hidden chicks that the parents cannot see while roosting away from the nest during daylight.
Fledgling Calls
As juvenile tawny owls start venturing out the nest in early summer, they use plaintive fledgling calls to stay in contact with parents. These are cat-like mewing or high-pitched whistling sounds, often described as sounding like “piew.” Fledgling calls allow the young owls to signal their location among dense vegetation. If separated, the desperate calls prompt parents to locate and feed the owlets. As fledglings gain independence, the calls become less frequent but still occur at night throughout late summer and into fall. This nocturnal calling ends once juveniles disperse from the parent’s territory to establish their own range for breeding. Fledgling calls are part of a progression of vocalizations that allow close communication within tawny owl families until the offspring finally reach independence.
Summary of Tawny Owl Vocalizations
Call Type | Description | Behavioral Context |
---|---|---|
Advertising Call | Male territorial hooting | Attracting mate, proclaiming territory ownership |
Contact Call | Short kewick calls | Locating mate, maintaining contact |
Alarm Call | High shrieks | Signaling danger, deterring threats |
Begging Call | Harsh screeching | Communicating hunger, prompting food delivery |
Screech Call | Aggressive screaming | Territorial defense against rivals |
Duetting | Synchronized male and female calls | Pair bonding, joint territory defense |
Nestling Call | Faint chirping | Signaling chick distress/wellbeing |
Snoring Call | Raspy purring | Indicating chick satiation |
Fledgling Call | Mewing or whistles | Staying in contact with parents |
Conclusion
Tawny owls have an extensive vocal repertoire that serves many important functions related to breeding, territoriality, and family cohesion. Advertising calls proclaim territory ownership and attract mates while contact calls identify mate location. Alarm calls signal threats and prompt communal mobbing defense. Begging calls communicate hunger while snoring calls indicate satiation. Screech calls assert dominance in territorial disputes and duets strengthen pair bonds. Fledgling calls allow parents and offspring to maintain contact. Understanding the context and meaning of these various vocalizations provides key insights into tawny owl ecology and behavior. Research continues to uncover subtle variations in tawny owl calls between regions and fine-scale adaptations to different habitats and environments. But the core functions of advertising, alarm, food-begging, aggression, and contact-coordination underlie the importance of vocal signaling as a key adaptation across the species. The tawny’s extensive vocal abilities exemplify the intricate communication systems that allow complex owl behaviors to persist across changing landscapes and conditions.