A tawny owl's brood patch is rare to see. If you've never seen one, this is what it looks like.
What is a brood patch?
Most female birds moult feathers on or near their breast when incubating their eggs. The exposed bare patch of skin allows the blood vessels to transfer body heat directly to the eggs, keeping them warm and safe as they develop. This scientific paper explains in more detail
Do all birds have brood patches?
Not all bird species have brood patches and not all are in the same place. In some species, where the male's share incubation duties, the male's also develop a brood patch.
How rare is it to see a tawny owl's brood patch?
It is rare to see a bird's brood patch, let alone a tawny owl's. Cameras hidden in this owl nest mean I have enjoyed privileged views into the secret lives of this species.
Bonnie the tawny owl's story
This is Bonnie, who raised two tawny owl chicks in a woodland habitat I developed known as Ash Wood. To read more about Ash Wood and how I dug ponds and put up owl and kestrel boxes to draw wildlife to it, click here.
She and her mate Ozzy overcame the tragic loss of their first clutch to lay a rare second clutch. Click here to read the story . I'm so glad they did because they went on to raise two chicks, named Bramble and Sage. Click here to watch my film of these owlets as they grew from tiny chicks unable to hold up their heads into adventurous adolescent owls.
Bonnie's chicks have now fledged the nest, but you occasionally spot her or one of the family bathing at the Ash Wood pond on my livestream cameras: #LiveFromAshWood
