Have you got 20 minutes to spare?  If so, the British Trust for Ornithology need some help!

They are running a Tawny Owl Survey and they need as many people as possible to exercise their ears and listen out for these beautiful animals.

All you have to do is listen for just 20 minutes during at least one evening between now and 31 March 2019.  You’re listening for the beautiful Tawny Owl, and you don’t have to have a garden – you can lie in bed and listen for the Tawny Owl or head to your local park or woodland. 

Even if you don’t hear anything, that will help.   Every survey answer helps, even zero.  The video below from You Tube shows you what to listen out for.

You can listen for their hooting and kee-wick calls between sunset and midnight.   You need to let the BTO know the date, start time of your survey, estimated cloud cover and whether or not you hear an owl!

If you hear a Tawny Owl at another time of the week outside the survey, you can record that as well, and you can record your weekly results online.

It will be even more helpful if you can repeat your survey in the weeks leading up to 31 March 2019.   The more weeks you can listen the better – gaps between them don’t matter – but do as many weeks as you can.

If you enjoy taking part you can repeat your survey in subsequent weeks. The more weeks that you can listen the better, but you can do as many or as few weeks as you are able. Gaps between weeks don't matter.

Download the instructions here.

If you'd prefer to record on paper recording sheets rather than use our online system, you can - email us at [email protected] or call 01842 750050.