Kendall House Antiques Ltd. has dated this piece to the 1900s.
42.5cm x 32cm
Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), some old books and country folk refer to them as the Brown Owl, such a gorgeously softly marked bird, and so noticeable in this fine example. The Tawny is responsible for the most commonly heard owl sound, the classic, nocturnal ‘twit twoo’ with which most people are familiar, this call is actually made by both a male and female owls calling to each other.
Wordsworth described the technique for calling an owl in his poem, there was a Boy.
And there, with fingers interwoven, both hands
Pressed closely palm to palm and to his mouth
Uplifted, he, as through an instrument,
Blew mimic hootings to the silent owls,
That they might answer him.—And they would shout
Across the watery vale, and shout again,
Responsive to his call,—with quivering peals,
And long halloos, and screams, and echoes loud
Redoubled and redoubled; concourse wild
Of jocund din!
A highly territorial breeding species. Tawny Owls will nest in a variety of places but prefer tree cavities where available. However, it’s highly unusual to find Tawny Owls roosting in a building and even rarer to find them nesting in one. They are found widely across much of Great Britain, though are entirely absent from Island.
The Tawny is fearless in defense of its nest and young, and will strike for the intruder's head. Because its flight is silent, it may not be detected until it is too late to avoid the danger. Dogs, cats and humans may be assaulted. Perhaps the best-known victim of the tawny owl's fierce attack was the renowned bird photographer Eric Hosking, who lost his left eye when struck by a bird he was attempting to photograph in 1937. He later called his autobiography An Eye for a Bird.
Typical lifespan in the wild is 4-5 years. Diet comprises predominantly small mammals, namely Wood Mice, and Bank Voles In addition they will take small rabbits, moles, small birds, beetles, earthworms, frogs and even fish. Although many people believe this owl has exceptional night vision, its retina is no more sensitive than a human's, its asymmetrically placed ears are key to its hunting by giving it excellent directional hearing. The tawny owl's hearing is ten times better than a human's and it can hunt using this sense alone in the dark, but the patter of raindrops makes it difficult to detect faint sounds, and prolonged wet weather can lead to starvation.
The Tawny Owl is increasingly being affected by avian malaria, the incidence of which has tripled in the last 70 years, in parallel with increasing global temperatures. In 2010, the incidence in British tawny owls was 60%, compared to 2–3% in 1996.
Kendall House Antiques Ltd. has dated this piece to the 1900s.
Kendall house antiques a traditional shop in the north cotswold’s market town of chipping campden.
You can view the stock and full dealer information on the Kendall House Antiques Ltd. Profile Page
Taxidermy - Tawny Owl by Peter Spicer & Sons of Royal Leamington Spa
