THE TAWNY OWL 
SYRNIUM ALUCO 
Loca. names in surrounding counties: ‘‘ Brown Owl”’ 
(Essex). 
Status iN British AvirAuNA: Fairly common resi- 
dent in the wooded areas of England, Wales, and the 
south of Scotland, but unknown in Ireland. 
RapriaL DistTRIBUTION WITHIN FIFTEEN MILES OF ST. 
Paut’s: The Tawny Owl, I should say, is a rarer bird 
within the Metropolitan limits than the preceding species, 
although I have heard it very frequently no further 
away from St. Paul’s than Harlesden, and it is said even 
to breed in Kensington Gardens. It may also often 
be heard at Wembley, and is known to frequent the 
vicinity of Dulwich, Wimbledon, Richmond, Bushey, 
Kew, Osterley, Hampstead, Epping, and Wanstead. 
Further afield, of course, it becomes more numerous, 
and is locally distributed in most of the wooded districts 
within our Metropolitan radius of fifteen miles.. Owls 
are most difficult birds to observe, and during their 
seasons of silence can very easily be overlooked. ‘They 
frequent regularly many localities where their presence is 
not even suspected, and include in their nightly wander- 
ings many places far from their roosting- and prec dine: 
places. 
The melancholy, deep, and far- sounding cry of the 
‘Tawny Owl is a very familiar night-cry in the wooded 
districts of suburban London. At such places as Rich- 
mond Park, Epping Forest, and Osterley, to go no further 
afield, the oft-repeated hoo—who—hoo of this Owl may be 
heard during the livelong summer night. ‘The Tawny 
Owl shows no partiality for buildings ; it loves the woods, 
and usually makes its retreat in some hollow tree, although 
it occasionally passes the day sitting on a branch asleep 
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