— OWLS (Strigidae) —
EURASIAN PYGMY OWL (Glaucidium passerinum) - Chevêchette d’Europe
A rather uncommon bird of forests between 1000-2000 meters. It is a day-time hunter, small and the colouration makes it very hard to see. The call is distinctive however:
TAWNY OWL (Strix aluco) - Chouette hulotte
A fairly common bird of forests between up to 1500m in Switzerland. Nocturnal habits make it hard to see but most people can recognise this owl’s hoot:
LONG-EARED OWL (Asio otus) Hibou moyen-duc
Long-eared Owls are not a rare species, but neither are they common. Their habits and calls are very subtle and discrete, making them hard to see, and their gentle hooting calls are easily overlooked, even though they can carry a surprising distance.
TENGMALM’S OWL (Aegolius funereus) - Chouette de Tengmalm
A fairly uncommon bird of forests between 1000 and 2000m asl in Switzerland. Its calls are a series of rather monotone “poops”: