Fears over tawny owls and their ‘twit-twoo’

Members of the public are being asked to listen out for tawny owls as part of a study prompted by fears the birds with the classic “twit-twoo” call are in decline.

The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) is asking people to listen and report calling tawny owls in their garden, local park or piece of woodland this winter.

Tawny owl numbers are thought to have declined over the past few decades. They have recently been added to the “amber” list of birds of conservation concern amid fears over falling numbers.

Researchers want to understand more about the impacts of urbanisation and light pollution on populations of the species.

They are asking people to decide on a location and then listen for 20 minutes for one evening a week for the tawny owls’ calls for the survey, which runs from 30 September to 31 March next year.

Volunteers do not have to commit to listen every week for the “citizen science” scheme, but the experts say people will be providing valuable data by recording for as many weeks as they can.

Even if people do not hear an owl, the researchers say that is also important information as it indicates where the species is missing.