Owl

[1976]

What is the most common Owl?

[Bob...]

In which country or do you mean world wide?

[fingerpie]

We have one locally that never sweeps its nest out and wears curlers to the shops.

[New Forester]

Assuming you are indeed in the UK: Tawny owl is probably the most common. Found pretty well anywhere where there are trees. If you are hearing hooting at night this is probably it -- especially at this time of year. Little owl is also very widespread, mainly in farmland with pasture, hedges and single trees. Its "hoot" is quite high-pitched, more of a whistle. Barn owl is quite scarce, near open rough ground. Noises are screeches, hisses and moans. Often nests in unoccupied buildings. Short-eared owl hunts over wild open land in the daytime, especially moorland and grazing marsh. It's not unusual there, but not found much elsewhere. Long-eared owl is very similar, but keeps to the night, and lives in woods. For some reason, the long-eared replaces the tawny on the Isle of Wight. They don't have nuthatches either...

[Cetti]

Please excuse me for cross posting Ruthy but last year I came face to face with a Short-Eared Owl in our local Iron Age fortress (Badbury Rings) - I don't know who was most surprised, but it was one of the most beautiful birds I'd ever seen.

[Bob...]

and a group of them are known as a parliament