Nest Box News No 2 Tawny Owls

Photos Chris Hoyle
The four pairs of Tawny Owls in our nest boxes this year appear to be struggling somewhat. Looking back through our records, average clutch size in previous years has been just short of 3 eggs. This year all four pairs have just two eggs each. Average brood size in previous years worked out at 2.4 per nest. This year only one pair has 2 young the others started with 2 but now have only one.
The reason for this poor productivity is probably the low numbers of small mammals this year. This scarcity has been commented on by a number of observers and may well be affecting other predators. Small mamal numbers tend to be cyclic with this year being at the low point of the cycle.

The photos show a Tawny Owl which has been hunting in daylight in a garden near Kirkby Lonsdale successfully taking small birds. Further evidence that their normal prey is scarce.

John Wilson