ALLOCCO - Allocco, Photos and Habitat Allocco

ALLOCCO

Systematic framework

ALLOCCO

Order
Strigiformes

Family
Strigids

Gender
Circus

ALLOCCO - Distribution

The owl it is a sedentary species widespread in Europe and Asia from Portugal to Korea and in North Africa. In Italy it is present throughout the peninsula, with the exception of a large part of Puglia, and in Sicily.

ALLOCCO - Where he lives

The tawny owl frequents broadleaf and mixed woods, alternating with large clearings that serve as hunting grounds, agricultural areas with the presence of rows of trees, old trees and ruins, appurtenances of houses, parks and gardens, from the plains to the mountains up to altitudes of 1.400-1.500 m above sea level.

ALLOCCO - Power supply

The tawny owl feeds on small mammals (shrews, voles, mice, squirrels, dormice, etc.), small and medium-sized birds, frogs, toads, fish, mollusks, and insects. Pellets, the undigested portions of the food they vomit, range in color from gray to black and may contain soil and plant debris.

ALLOCCO - Behavior

The tawny owl is nocturnal and crepuscular, and during the day it roosts in sheltered perches: cavities in rocks, ruins, or trees. It is tied to its territory year-round, which it demarcates with its song. It flies silently. Its hunting techniques vary considerably: depending on the situation, it attacks its prey after waiting on a perch for the right moment, or it flies in a zigzag pattern a few meters above the ground over its hunting territory. The tawny owl normally catches its prey on the ground, occasionally in the air.

ALLOCCO - Reproduction

Breeding season: The tawny owl lays eggs between February and May; one clutch per year. Nest: in a tree cavity or rocky crevice, on the ground in a well-protected location surrounded by vegetation, in farmhouses and barns.

ALLOCCO - Eggs: usually 2-4

The Tawny Owl incubates for 28-30 days. Incubation is carried out by the female when the first egg is laid, so hatching is asynchronous. Parental care: The chicks fledge at 5-6 weeks of age. Typically, only one or two young from the brood complete their development and become independent at about 4 months of age.

ALLOCCO - Status and conservation

The tawny owl species in Europe is considered to be in a favourable conservation status and its populations appear to be progressively and constantly increasing throughout almost its entire distribution range.