Tawny Owls Bathing
We created a small pond in the wood in mid-July 2020. Shortly after, on the 21st July at about 7.30 AM we recorded a Tawny Owl perched on the edge, and then splashing across from the log to the edge of the pond. The impression it gave was less of bathing and more of a clumsy jump.
The following week we recorded a second video which clearly shows the (same?) owl bathing – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PR4tO97Gizc
Do British Owl Species Routinely Bathe?
I was unsure just how rare it was to record Tawny Owls bathing. Commentary on the video recordings on the internet suggest recorded footage is rare, but is this just because they are nocturnal and not often observed doing so? Martin Kelsey suggested this was probably the case (http://www.birdingextremadura.com).
Initially I was under the impression that the structure of owl feathers that enabled them to fly near-silently, also made it difficult for them to fly and hunt in the wet, hence they didn’t often bathe.
Since recording this video I have researched the topic, and found very little beyond the anecdotal to indicate whether it is routine or not. It was therefore helpful to receive the following from Dr Mateo Ruiz of the Barn Owl Trust (https://www.barnowltrust.org.uk) who said: “My understanding is that owls are no different to other birds in that they wash to maintain their plumage. Although their feathers are typically less oily, in order to fly more silently, they are capable of flying when wet. However, I suspect they chose to bathe when they are fairly satiated, with no pressing need to hunt.”
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