Luna the tawny owl has a new partner and their early courtship is adorably awkward. Watch her get her nest box all ready to receive visitors, call out hopefully, only to find he's out of earshot and she has to fetch her own food.
After her long-term partner Bomber sadly passed away, Luna looks like she's found love again. But the relationship is still in its early phase and there've been a few awkward mistimings.
Tawny owl courtship
When attracting a mate, tawny owls first find a suitable nest site and then begin calling. Luna has chosen her favourite nest box, Beech Stump and has been sitting in there for weeks, calling, scraping and making sure everything is just right. These are all signs she might lay soon. It's traditional for male tawny owls to bring food to their partners to show they are capable of providing for both her and their future offspring, but he missed her calls and she had to to find her own food.
Mis-timings
Then when he does arrives with food, he misses her! And this time it's his calls that go unanswered. The following day she’s back and again calls for attention. This time he's quicker to respond with an appropriate gift.
