Two Tawny Owls checking out a nest box – is it for them ?

Not long after the camera caught a young tawny owl visiting our new nest box, she was back. And this time she'd brought someone with her.

That's Izzy, and her partner, handsome Toby. Both of them take a good look around the box in this video. Is it the right home for them?

▶ Two Tawny Owls Checking Out a Nest Box: Izzy and Toby

Press play when you're ready, and watch right to the end. You can also watch it on YouTube.

Izzy brings Toby to see the box

If you've seen our first sighting of Izzy, you'll know she'd already popped in once on her own. Here she comes back with Toby, and he has a proper look around too. It's a bit like a couple viewing a house together.

They didn't move in straight away, though. In 2024 they nested in the box for the first time, but sadly Izzy's eggs never hatched. In 2025 they visited but didn't nest. Then in the 2026 nesting season, they came back, nested in it and successfully raised a brood of owlets.

What to look out for

• Two owls, one box. Watch how both owls take their turn to look around. Checking out a nest site together is a good sign of a pair.
• No rush. Owls can visit a box many times, sometimes over years, before they finally decide to nest in it.
• Pairs for life. Tawny owls usually stay with the same partner and the same territory for life, so a good nest site is worth getting right.

Tawny owl couples

Tawny owls are very loyal, both to each other and to their patch. A pair will defend the same territory year after year, and you'll often hear them calling to each other at night, with the famous "twit twoo" actually being two owls: one calls "kewick" and the other answers with a hoot. Autumn and winter are the best times to hear them, as they're busy staking out their territory.

Coming soon: the 2026 nest

Izzy and Toby's 2026 nest gave us some great footage, from the eggs to the owlets, and I'll be putting together a video of it. Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss it.

More from the owls at Barn Owl Live

• 🦉 Where it all started: our first sighting of Izzy
• 🥚 What happened next: Izzy sits on her eggs, and Toby brings her food
• 📚 Over 100 tawny owl facts, questions and answers
• 📺 Watch the live wildlife cameras from the Peak District
• 🧠 Test yourself on tawny owls in the free wildlife quiz

Questions people ask

Do tawny owls pair for life?

Usually, yes. Tawny owls tend to stay with the same partner and defend the same territory year after year.

Why do owls check out a nest box many times?

Choosing a nest site is a big decision, so owls often visit a box several times, sometimes over years, before nesting in it.

Which owl makes the twit twoo sound?

It is the tawny owl, and it is usually two owls calling to each other: one gives a sharp kewick and the other answers with a hoot.

Did Izzy and Toby nest in the box?

Yes. Their first nest in 2024 sadly failed when the eggs didn't hatch, but in 2026 they nested in this box again and successfully raised a brood of owlets.

Thanks for watching,
Paul 🦉