Hoo! Hoo!
Many people like owl calls. But some birds do not. Scientists watched how European robins act when they hear tawny owl calls. The experts shared their study on September 22.
European robins are small birds. They have bright orange faces and chests. They live in Europe. And they live in Asia and Africa.
Some European robins
. They travel for the winter. They visit warmer parts of Europe. Scientists in Sweden studied these robins.
The experts played two bird calls. One was a tawny owl. The other was a sparrowhawk. Both birds are
. Sparrowhawks are active during the day. And tawny owls are active during the night.
European robins did not change their
after hearing the sparrowhawk calls. But the robins changed their behavior when they heard the tawny owl calls. The experts said the birds were more careful. They were less active at night. And they ate less.
Birds have a hard time getting fat when they eat less. Their bodies need fat. It is energy. That lets them fly far and fast. Robins that eat less have less energy. So, they might wait longer to fly. They stay around and get more fat. Their migration could take longer. And they might get to their winter spots later. Other birds might have taken the best homes.
Susanne Åkesson studied the birds. She said people can make migration easier. They can make bird stops better. European robins need calm spots. They need protected spots.
By Hannah Marcum
Updated September 23, 2025, 5:00 P.M. (ET)
