There are two basic colour types of Tawny Owls, one being rich chestnut-brown, the other having grays instead of deep browns. Intermediate birds are variously tawny-buff, buff-brown or grayish-brown in colouration.
Bands of buff or whitish-buff mottling run back and outwards across the crown from the central upper edge of the facial disc. The shoulders are variably tipped and edged whitish, forming ragged pale 'braces'. The semi-circles and narrow ring surrounding the eyes are buff. The bill is pale olive-yellow and the very large eyes have bluish-black irises. Tail feathers are tawny to tawny-chestnut, with the outer feathers barred dark brown. All tail feathers are tipped grayish-white or buffish. Legs are feathered and white with some brownish speckling. The claws are blackish with dirty white bases.

males: length: 41-43.5cm (16-17") wing span: 91-95cm (35.8-37.4") weight: 410-550g (14.5-19.4 oz)
Females: length: 435-460 mm (17-18") wing span 94-105cm (37-41.3") weight: 410-800g (14.5-28.2 oz)

Generally nocturnal, but sometimes active during the day. Flight is agile around trees, with relatively quick wingbeats. They will also glide on extended wings over open spaces, and may also hover. Can be very aggressive in nest defense.

The normal 'song' - the familiar hooting of the male has several functions: it is a territorial call, a courtship call, and an announcing call used when bringing food to the female. Sometimes, the female makes a similar hooting sound to the mating male, however, the female's hooting is less clearly phrased than the male's, the last phrase having a more wailing quality, approximately wow-wow-hooo, sometimes described it as a grating, hoarse version of the normal song.

Tawny Owls hunt almost entirely at night, usually waiting quietly on a perch, watching and listening. After detecting a prey animal moving in the grass, the Owl glides down or drops onto it and, at the moment of impact, extends its wings to cover the victim, which is usually killed immediately by the powerful feet and claws. Prey taken include rabbits, moles, mice, shrews, voles, and other rodents. They also eat earthworms, insects, birds, frogs, fish, lizards, molluscs, and crustaceans.

Tawny Owls remain within their nesting territory all the year round and pair-bonds last for life. Courtship feeding begins in the winter period, becoming progressively centred on the future nest site. In Europe the Tawny Owl usually begins breeding in mid-March.
During courtship the male perches near the female and sways from side to side, then up and down, raising first one wing then the other and finally both together. His plumage is puffed out, making him appear almost round, then tightly compressed. Meanwhile he grunts softly, sometimes sidling a foot or so along the branch and back again. The female may puff out and quiver her feathers.
Tawny Owls will nest in a natural hole or a nest box in a tree, but occasionally nests have been found on ledges of old buildings and in chimneys. They will also use the old nest of a crow, Magpie, Sparrowhawk or Buzzard, and sometimes a squirrel's drey.

Tawny Owls lay from two to six eggs, but sometimes only one. The eggs are almost round and pure white and are about 46.7 x 39mm. Normally, they are laid at intervals of 48 hours, and are incubated for 28-29 days by the female alone. When the young have hatched, the male brings more food, either to the nest or to the female waiting nearby. Once the chicks are 6-7 days old the female may leave the nest only to hunt, otherwise remaining near the young. Fledging occurs after 28 to 37 days. Tawny Owls are dependent on their parents for food up to three months after leaving the nest. As the young owls gradually learn to fend for themselves they also establish territories. The Tawny Owl defends its territory vigorously against neighbours with 'song', with threatening behaviour or in flying skirmishes. Predatory mammals, too, such as cats, foxes and dogs, are driven from the vicinity of the nest. Occasionally a Tawny Owl female with nestlings may attack a human approaching the nest, even in daylight, and may even draw blood with its talons.

Many young Tawny Owls lose their lives when trying to secure a territory inside the parental one - they must either starve or move out. The most common fatalities connected with man are collisions with vehicles, trains or wires, and getting trapped in buildings.

The world distribution of Tawny Owls extends throughout Europe and North Africa (Morocco, Tunisia and Algeria) eastwards to Iran and western Siberia. The Asiatic range covers north-western India, the Himalayas, southern China, Korea and Taiwan. In Europe the Tawny Owl is the commonest and most widespread owl, being absent only in Ireland, the extreme north of Scotland, northern Russia, northern Scandinavia, Iceland and some of the Mediterranean islands.