This nocturnal bird of prey hunts mainly rodents, usually by dropping from a perch to seize its prey, which it swallows whole.
The left ear opening is higher on the head than the larger right ear and tilts downward, improving sensitivity to sounds from below.
Small differences in the time of arrival of a sound at each ear enables its source to be pinpointed.
This owl is non-migratory and highly territorial.

1st photo: On the top of an old chimney in my friend's yard. Hilversum, The Netherlands, 14 December 2014
2nd photo: A young tawny owl that just flew out of its nest in another friend's yard. Hilversum, The Netherlands, 19 April 2016
3rd photo: This is a young owl that is almost in adult plumage. Spandersbos, Hilversum, The Netherlands, 4 July 2018
4th photo: An adult female that is keeping an eye on a young that just flew out of the nest in my own yard. Hilversum, The Netherlands, 18 April 2017
5th photo: And here is that young Tawny Owl! Finally, after more than 10 years of having Stock Doves nesting in my owl nestbox, I had my first Tawny Owls' nest. On 8 April 2017, we banded the 4 healthy youngs and put them back in the nestbox. Ten days later they were all flown out.