The Tawny owl or brown owl (Strix aluco, Linnaeus 1758) is a bird of prey member of the family of Strigidae.
In Italy this species is common, but unequally widespread and lacking; his particular footprint appears in October. The tawny owl has been shown to be affected by global warming and diminishes, especially from the phenomena of deforestation, capital widening and the lack of forrest trees in parks and gardens.
This nocturnal bird of prey has a large rounded head that lacks ear tufts, and the facial disk surrounding the dark brown eyes is rather plain. The female is much larger than the male, 5% longer and more than 25% heavier. Although many people believe it has an excellent night vision, his retina is no more sensitive from a human’s.
There are many superstitions about the tawny owl, strongly related to its appearance, its silent and nocturnal flights and its capability to rotate completely its head. Those characteristics have led, since antiquity, the tawny owl to be seen as an omen of bad luck.
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Notes
BirdLife International 2007. Strix aluco. In: IUCN 2010.IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Versione 2010.1