Hoot Hoot! Celebrate International Owl Awareness Day at New Forest Wildlife Park

August 4th marks International Owl Awareness Day, a special occasion to celebrate these majestic creatures of the night. What better way to honour these fascinating birds than by visiting them at New Forest Wildlife Park?

Barn Owls: These ghostly white owls are instantly recognisable, but there's more to them than meets the eye. Their heart-shaped faces and silent flight make them excellent nocturnal hunters, while their surprisingly loud screeches can startle unsuspecting passersby. At the park, you can meet Twiglet and Soren in the Barn Aviary, or say hello to Hobbit and Muckle, near the gift shop.

Eurasian Eagle Owls: With their piercing eyes and powerful talons, Eurasian Eagle Owls are incredibly skilled and powerful predators. Jas, our female eagle owl, is a retired falconry flight bird with a gentle demeanor, while Brock, our male, was rescued from a life as an exotic pet. Their stories highlight the importance of responsible owl ownership and conservation.

Great Grey Owl: The Great Grey Owl's imposing size is mostly an illusion created by thick layers of fluffy feathers. Our resident female, Sage, may look large and intimidating, but her true size is surprisingly small.

Little Owl: Standing at just 20 cm tall, these petite predators have mottled grey-brown feathers speckled with white and striking yellow eyes. They're most active at dawn and dusk, using their sharp eyesight and keen hearing to hunt for insects and small rodents. Our Little Owl family, consisting of parents Nelson and Nellie, along with their two offspring, demonstrates the strong family bonds that exist in the owl world.

Long-eared Owl: With their mottled brown feathers and elongated ear tufts, Long-eared Owls are experts at blending seamlessly into their woodland habitats making them notoriously difficult to spot in the wild. Twil, our resident Long-eared Owl, was hatched in captivity and is a delightful character with a penchant for mischief.

Snowy Owl: Snowy Owls have thick white feathers and feathered feet which are perfectly adapted for the harsh Arctic environment they hail from. Herdi, a female, was found lost in the woods in 2000 and brought to the RSPCA. Orkney, a male, joined her in 2003 after his previous owners found his calls a bit too much to handle! Now, they both enjoy a peaceful life at the park, where they serve as ambassadors for their wild counterparts in the Arctic.

Tawny Owl: The Tawny Owl's distinctive call is one of the most recognisable sounds of the British countryside, with one saying ‘twit’ and the other replying with ‘Twoo’! Our group  (or parliament) of five Tawny Owls, all rescued from the wild, have various health issues thus preventing their release back into the wild.

Read about our recently rescued tiny Tim!