Film | Tawny Owls Adopt Four More Chicks



Wild tawny owls Bomber & Luna turned out to be excellent foster parents. After successfully raising the first two chicks I placed with them, they went on to take on another four owlets! 

Tawny owl chicks

This tawny owl pair first adopted chicks after their own clutch of eggs failed. But just as I was enjoying watching these young owlets, named Dawn & Dusk, exploring, I was handed another three rescue owl babies.

More foster owlets

Then I am handed three more rescue chicks. Each is a different age and were picked up from roadside. I decide to see if Bomber & Luna will take them on, alongside Dawn & Dusk. If they do, this will give these owlets the best chance of surviving in the wild.

Mini, Midi and Maxi

The three rescue owlets, nicknamed Mini, Midi and Maxi for their varying sizes, had already fledged their own nests so I wasn’t expecting them to stay inside my bespoke Beech Stump owl nest for long.

Luna calls encouragement

And sure enough it isn’t long before Midi heads out to explore. To my delight Luna arrives and begins to call this young rescue owlet, encouraging her to fly towards her.

Bomber brings dinner

And a few hours later Bomber arrives with some food for this young tawny owlet. I left food out for Bomber to find so that this owl dad had enough to feed this new family.

Extra Food

I also fed the remaining owlets. It’s quite a lot to expect these parent tawny owls to suddenly support a total of five owlets.

Bomber & Luna stop feeding

But then two days pass and there is no sign of Bomber & Luna. I keep the owlets fed but they need the care of real owls if they are going to survive outside the nest. Under my careful watch they continue to grow, practising their pouncing skills inside the nest.

Calls are heeded

Then at last their calls are rewarded and Bomber finally feeds them and the following day Maxi finally leaves the nest. Watch as one of the other young owlets shows Maxi where to leap. It’s so endearing watching the owlets interact with each other.

A new rescue

Before the final chick, Mini, fledges, a new rescue arrives from Doncaster. We call it Donny and it’s a little bit thin. But that’s not a bad thing because it should call loudly and that will encourage Bomber & Luna to respond.

Donny fledges

Donny doesn’t stay long, leaving Mini all alone again. But then, after a visit from another owlet, Mini too makes the leap to the branch outside the nest.

Owl creche

It’s amazing to see all six owlets together, preening one another, and to think they aren’t even from the same family.

Extra help

I keep putting food out for Bomber & Luna to take to the owlets. Watch them take it and carry it straight to the owlets. It isn’t long before the owlets begin to feed themselves and explore the world for themselves. Watch what happens when one finds a barn owl! Bomber & Luna’s story has been remarkable. I wonder what next year’s breeding season will bring.