Owls in Belgium: Which Species Live Here and What Do They Sound Like?

You're lying in bed at night with the window ajar, and suddenly you hear a long, quavering "hoo-hoohoohoo" outside. An owl! Owls live closer to us than we think: in forests, parks, old farms and even in towns. Because they're mostly active at night, you hear them far more often than you see them. In this article you'll learn which owls live in Belgium, how to recognise them by their call and when you have the best chance of hearing them.

The owls of Belgium

Five owl species breed in Flanders. A sixth mainly visits in winter.

Tawny owl

The owl you hear most often. The tawny owl lives in forests, parks and large gardens with old trees. The male gives the well-known, quavering "hoo… hoohoohoohoo". The female answers with a sharp "ke-wick". Together it sounds like the classic "twit-twoo" from cartoons. You mostly hear tawny owls in late autumn and winter, when they mark their territory.

Barn owl

The ghost owl. The barn owl is pale, with a heart-shaped white face. It breeds in barns, church towers and nest boxes in the countryside, and hunts for mice over meadows. Its call isn't a "hoo" but a hissing, shrill screech. That's why it's also called the "screech owl".

Long-eared owl

The owl with "ears". The long-eared owl has long feathers on its head that look like ears, and bright orange eyes. It lives at woodland edges and in conifers. The male gives a soft, short "hoo" every few seconds, as if someone is blowing across the neck of an empty bottle. In winter, long-eared owls sometimes roost together in the same pine or spruce tree.

Little owl

The smallest. The little owl is small and stocky, with yellow eyes and a stern look. It lives in open landscapes with pollard willows, traditional orchards and old farms. Its call is a short, high "kiew" or "meow". You sometimes see it during the day too, sitting on a post or a roof.

Eagle owl

The biggest. The eagle owl is one of the largest owls in the world, with a wingspan of almost two metres. It breeds in quarries, on rock faces and sometimes in old buildings. Its call is a deep, booming "oo-hoo" that carries far. The eagle owl disappeared from Flanders for a long time, but has returned in recent decades.

Short-eared owl

The winter guest. The short-eared owl doesn't breed in Belgium, but in some winters it comes to open landscapes such as polders and heathland. It often hunts at dusk, low over the grass.

The Ardennes are also home to rarer species, such as Tengmalm's owl in large conifer forests.

When do you hear the most owls?

• Season: from November to March. That's when owls look for a partner and mark their territory, which involves a lot of calling. In autumn, when young owls search for a place of their own, you also hear plenty.
• Time of day: at dusk and in the first part of the night.
• Weather: on calm, dry evenings. In rain and wind owls call much less, and you hear them less well too.

How to go owl spotting

1. Walk at dusk along a woodland edge, a park with old trees or an old farm.
2. Stop regularly and listen. You hear owls better when you're not making any noise yourself.
3. Don't play owl sounds to lure them. It stresses the animals and disrupts their territory.
4. Don't use a bright torch. A red light is enough to find your way.
5. Join an owl walk. Nature organisations run guided owl walks in winter, often with a guide who recognises the calls.
6. Bring an app. With a bird sound app you can record a call and have it identified.

Dress warmly: listening for owls often means standing still on cold winter evenings. Warm layers and a fleece-lined hoodie make it a lot more pleasant.

Frequently asked questions

Which owl do you hear most in Belgium?

The tawny owl. You hear its quavering "hoo-hoohoohoo" in forests, parks and gardens with old trees, especially in late autumn and winter.

Which owl goes "twit-twoo"?

The classic "twit-twoo" from cartoons is actually a pair of tawny owls: the female's "ke-wick" and the male's "hoo". The deep, heavy "oo-hoo" belongs to the eagle owl.

Can you see owls during the day?

Sometimes. The little owl often sits on a post or roof during the day, and in winter you sometimes see long-eared owls resting in conifers. The short-eared owl also hunts in daylight.

For the night owls among us

Our Night Watch design shows an owl on a pine branch, watchful in the night. Available as a T-shirt, sweatshirt and hoodie. Find more birds in the Bird collection, and read tips to get started in our article on birdwatching in Belgium.