As autumn nights draw in, one of Britain’s most familiar nocturnal sounds becomes more noticeable, as tawny owls enter a particularly vocal time of year.

Tawny owls are highly territorial and can call throughout the year, but autumn is an especially important time for calling. Established adults use their calls to defend their patch, while young owls born earlier in the year are dispersing from their parents’ territories and searching for somewhere to settle. By late autumn, many will have established a territory of their own, which they may keep for the rest of their lives.

The famous ‘too-wit too-woo’ often associated with tawny owls is actually a combination of calls rather than one owl making the entire phrase. The female gives a sharp ‘ke-wick’ call, while the male responds with the familiar wavering hoot.

Seeing one can be much harder. Tawny owls are mainly active at night and their mottled reddish-brown plumage provides excellent camouflage against tree bark during the day. They have a rounded head, large dark eyes and broad, rounded wings, with adults reaching around 37-39cm long and a wingspan of almost a metre. Females are generally larger than the males.

Their large, forward-facing eyes are excellent at gathering available light, but unlike ours, an owl’s eyes cannot move in their sockets. Instead, tawny owls can turn their heads up to an extraordinary 270 degrees, allowing them to look behind themselves without moving their bodies.

Woodland is their traditional home, particularly places with mature trees, but tawny owls can also live in farmland, parks and larger gardens where there are suitable trees for roosting and nesting. After darkness falls, they hunt from favourite perches, listening and watching for prey such as mice and voles, although their varied diet can also include small birds, beetles, earthworms and frogs.

Despite being the UK’s most common owl, tawny owls need our help. They are Amber-listed as a bird of Conservation Concern following long-term declines, likely due to habitat loss and lack of prey. Protecting mature trees, hedgerows and areas of woodland can provide vital places for them to roost, nest and hunt.