Question about Little Owls (1 Viewer)

For the past month or so I've been hearing a little owl, not every night but 3 or 4 times a week, sometimes early, sometimes in the middle of the night. Now little owls are scarce around here.....seen a few but not many. I live in rural Sussex next to a small wood and fields. Knowing that they often perch on posts and such like during the day I've looked and looked but can't see it so I don't think it's "home" is here but I am wondering if "here" is part of it's territory. Tonight at dusk it was calling from the wood very close, I went out but couldn't see it and and after a few minutes the calling came from further away. A friend of mine said she thought little owls have a large territory that they patrol regularly. My question is, is this right? And how can I encourage it to spend more time here? Any info on their habits much appreciated. Thanks.

Joanne

I've never really thought of Little Owls as ''woodland'' birds, they are quite numerous in my part of Norfolk and I mostly see them around the mature hedgerows with suitable nesting sites in old tree's along rough meadows etc.

Do you have any horse paddocks or similar grazing areas in your locality, they love loafing around on fenceposts overlooking moleholls and bare earth for insects and the like ~ that might prove more productive place tolook than a more woodland habitat.

Just what I've picked up from personal experiance!

Matt

I am certainly not a expert on Owls, but I managed by accident to find a pair locally and had some fantastic views lately. As above I always consider them a parkland bird rather than woodland bird, and best time to see them seems to be about an hour before dark, checking posts and tree stumps etc.

Have you thought of encouraging them by using a nest box. You can even buy specialised ones these days.

Good luck, John

Echoing others here: farmland habitat rather than woodland, but they need some mature trees to find nestholes (or boxes).
Sometimes see them on street lights - like crepuscular Kestrels, catching insects attracted to the light - or just using the vantage spot.
Along the footpath by the local river they use the style posts as perches: evidence of droppings & pellets could be a giveaway to help you locate their favorite spots.
Never made a study of them but don't think their territory is very large - I would think less than a square kilometre.
Horse paddocks here too a good habitat - dung & beetles...
Good luck.

Thanks guys, habitat sounds right...it's agricultural, arable and grassland mixed up with small woods including mature oak and ash trees, typical Sussex really. I'll look into the nestbox idea, I didn't know little owls took to them.

Joanne