Best time to see: all year
Key facts
Small dumpy owl of farmland and hedgerows
Habitat: towns and gardens, heaths, woods, hedges and fields
Widely distributed resident, first introduced into the UK from continental Europe in the 1840s
Recognition
Brown and buff streaked owl; yellow and black eyes create fierce impression; 21 cm
Sits openly on fence posts and the like, flying away with bouncing flight
Eats insects, small birds and mammals
Lifecycle
Nest is a hole in tree or building
1 or possibly 2 broods; 3-5 white eggs
© Alan Williams
© Ken King