What is hooting in the forest? Find out which owls live in Poland

Is it the tawny owl, the Eurasian pygmy owl, or perhaps the long-eared owl? Whose hooting echoes through the forest? You can guess or find out what the truth really is. The State Forests campaign What is hooting in the forest? is an excellent opportunity to expand your knowledge about owls living in Poland. The plans include in-person and online lectures, as well as field activities with listening sessions for owl calls. The project launches in February, the best time for closer encounters with owls.

Owl habits up close: walks, lectures, online meetings

There will be lectures in libraries and community centers, art competitions, classes for schools, evening listening sessions, and even bonfires. The wide-ranging What is hooting in the forest? campaign includes dozens of events across Poland, including online.

Participants in the campaign will learn more about the habits of native owls and how to distinguish individual species. Foresters and ornithologists will also talk about how they protect these remarkable birds. They will remind audiences that owls play an important role in forest and agricultural ecosystems: they are effective hunters and help regulate populations of rodents and small mammals. Farmers in particular should appreciate this, as the presence of owls means additional protection of crops against pests.

The full list of events within the What is hooting in the forest? campaign can be found here: https://www.lasy.gov.pl/pl/informacje/aktualnosci/uslysz-co-w-lesie-huczy

February and March – the time when owls make themselves heard

These nocturnal birds are difficult to observe without specialized equipment. However, to listen to their hooting, all you need is a bit of patience and attentiveness. The effort can pay off, especially now, when owls begin their breeding season. At the turn of February and March, males intensively call females and mark their territories by making characteristic sounds. This is precisely why field meetings within the What is hooting in the forest? project take place at the end of winter.

With fascination, but without fear. Why it is worth getting to know Polish owls

For centuries, owls have fascinated and at the same time slightly frightened people. Their nocturnal lifestyle, distinctive appearance, and silent flight stimulated the imagination and caused these birds to be associated with the supernatural world. It was believed that they foretold death and misfortune.

Today we can get to know owls with the same fascination, but without fear. We know that they see in the dark thanks to a reflective layer behind the retina, and that their silent flight, which allows them to approach prey unnoticed, is due to the specific structure of their feathers. These and many other interesting facts about owls can be heard during the What is hooting in the forest? meetings. The State Forests also encourage people to explore infographics and other materials available on the project website. One way to test your knowledge is an owl quiz.

It is worth observing the lives of these forest predators, especially since we encounter them every day. Thirteen owl species live in Poland, ten breeding and three wintering or occasional visitors, and some, such as the tawny owl, can even be found in city parks.