Little Owls (Athene noctua) are a highly sedentary species in the UK. They are particularly territorial in the breeding season and consequently very vocal, with a wide variety of vocalisations. Typical calls include a plaintive ‘kew’ ‘kew’ and a loud ‘wherrow’, repeated at regular intervals.
Little Owls are most active at dawn and dusk, and after dark when most hunting occurs. However, they can frequently be seen during the middle of the day, basking in the sun on an exposed perch such as a telegraph pole, dead tree or isolated building. Rather than hunting on the wing, Little Owls usually hunt from a perch, typically a fence post. When prey is spotted they sometimes ‘bob up and down’ a few times before a typically short, low, undulating flight to the ground where they sometimes pursue prey on foot. Whilst perched on a post they blend into farmland environments extremely well and are easily overlooked.
Yorkshire - June 2023
Worcestershire - May 2023
June 2022 - Knepp rewilding
Worcestershire - September 2020
