Little Owl

 

Four Little Owl's (Athene Noctua) have taken up residence on our roof and have been patrolling our garden and surrounding fields  for about eighteen months.  Apparently the collective noun for owls is a parliament which is quite apt as they look as serious as some  politicians do.   I always thought owls were nocturnal and although we do hear them at night they also seem to be around most of the day.  They are completely oblivious to whatever we are doing in the garden and have no fear of us.  In fact, every time we go out into the garden they seem to say hello and it's quite funny watching them swivelling their heads and sometimes bobbing up and down.


The owls are greyish brown with white streaks, have round faces and beautiful lemony eyes.  We had quite a few mice around last year  but they seem to have reduced the mice quite significantly as we haven't seen any for quite some time.


In Cypriot they are called koukoufkiaos and are apparently named after their call which sounds like cookutyow.


We would miss them if they left now and as long as they are keeping the mice away they are most welcome.