Tawny owls among rare species thriving in Wandsworth

Did you know that tawny owls have been breeding in Battersea Park, with the beautiful birds making the most of the expansive green space and mature trees?

Earlier this year, a breeding pair hatched three tawny owl chicks, which have thrived in Battersea Park as they grow and develop into independent adults.

Feeding on rodents, frogs and small birds, the tawny owls are benefitting from the 200 acres of varied habitats at Battersea Park, which include a local nature reserve, a large lake, and grassland areas.

Watch the Battersea Park tawny owls in their habitat

The owls in Battersea Park are some of the only recorded tawny owls in central London, with nature observation app iNaturalist also sharing sightings in Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.

Our ecology team has been supporting the birds by installing owl boxes to support the population due to a recent loss of a nest site during a storm, while we manage trees to provide natural nesting opportunities long term.

Owen Dodgson, Wandsworth Council’s ecology policy and planning manager, explains: “Tawny owls are territorial species so it’s important we spread boxes out across Battersea Park's woodlands, given its size.

“The offspring will remain dependant on their parents for food for up to three months, before hopefully finding their own territory in the park or further greenspaces.”

The tawny owls are among 4,000 species that live in Wandsworth, including locally rare species from peregrine falcons, swifts and wild bees to hedgehogs, stag beetles and brown trout.

At dusk, the skies come alive with an array of bats, with the common pipistrelle, soprano pipistrelle, noctules, barbastelle and brown long-eared bats all spotted in Wandsworth.

Conserving the borough’s 14 distinct habitats such as heathland, mudflats, rivers, lakes, woodlands and grasslands through dedicated projects and collaborating with the local community, we can create a thriving and nature-rich Wandsworth for generations to come.

This International Biodiversity Day on 22 May, why not explore some of the wildlife that calls Wandsworth home?

You can record wildlife you spot on iNaturalist, allowing others to access information about local species.

Find out more about biodiversity in Wandsworth.

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