The Tawny Owl - IELTS Listening Answers & Explanations
From IELTS Practice Test Plus 3 Academic Listening Test 5 · Part 4 · Questions 31–40
Audio
Questions
Questions 31–40 Note Completion
Complete the notes below.
Write ONE WORD ONLY for each answer.
The Tawny Owl
Most 31 owl species in UK
Strongly nocturnal
Habitat
Mainly lives in 32, but can also be seen in urban areas, e.g. parks.
Adaptations:
- Short wings and 33, for navigation
- Brown and 34 feathers, for camouflage
- Large eyes (more effective than those of 35), for good night vision
- Very good spatial 36, for predicting where prey might be found
- Excellent 37, for locating prey from a perch
Diet
Main food is small mammals.
Owls in urban areas eat more 38
Survival
Two thirds of young owls die within a 39
Owls don't disperse over long distances.
Owls seem to dislike flying over large areas of 40
Answers & Explanations Summary
| # | Answer | Evidence | Explanation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q31 | common | You’re all likely to be familiar with pictures of the Tawny Owl because of all the owl species in the UK, it’s actually the most common one | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that because there are many of these owls in the UK, most people know what they look like. It is the owl species that exists in the greatest numbers there. Answer Explanation: The answer 'common' means that something is found in many places or happens very often. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'common' because the wildlife expert states that among all the owl species in the UK, the Tawny Owl is the one you are most likely to find or see pictures of. In this context, 'most common' means it is the most frequent or numerous species. |
| Q32 | woodland / woods / forests / forest | Well, a survey carried out in the 1980s confirmed that this owl is most likely to be found in woodland | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that a study proved the Tawny Owl is usually located in woodland, which is a place filled with trees. Answer Explanation: The answer is the type of environment where the Tawny Owl usually lives. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is woodand/woods/forest(s) because the wildlife expert mentions a study from the 1980s. This study showed that these owls are usually found in woodland areas. The transcript also mentions that they are found where there are trees, and only missing from areas without trees. |
| Q33 | tail | For example, both its wings and its tail are short, which helps it to maneuver through the trees | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says the owl has short wings and a short tail so it can move easily around trees. Answer Explanation: The answer is the part of a bird's body at its back end that it uses for balance and steering while flying. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'tail' because the text explains that the Tawny Owl has specific physical features that help it move through its environment. It mentions that both its wings and its tail are short, and the purpose of these short body parts is to help the bird 'maneuver' or navigate through the trees in the forest. |
| Q34 | grey / gray | Also, the bird’s plumage is a mixture of brown and grey, and this provides suitable camouflage for when the owl perches up against a tree trunk | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that the owl's feathers are a mix of brown and grey, which helps the bird stay hidden while it sits on a tree. Answer Explanation: The answer means a neutral color that is a mix of black and white, describing the owl's feathers. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'grey' because the text explains the owl's physical features that help it survive in its environment. It specifically mentions that the bird's plumage, which refers to its feathers, is a combination of brown and grey to help it hide, or use camouflage, against tree trunks. |
| Q35 | humans / people | The Tawny Owl’s visual capacities are considerably better than those of humans, and although it can’t see in complete darkness, it’s sufficiently well equipped to be able to navigate its way around woodland on all but the most overcast nights | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that owls can see much better than people can, which helps them fly through the woods at night. Answer Explanation: The answer means that owls have better eyesight than people. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'humans' because the expert compares the owl's sight to the sight of a person. He says the owl's 'visual capacities' (their ability to see) are 'considerably better' than those of humans. This supports the note that their eyes are more effective than a person's eyes. |
| Q36 | memory | Another factor that contributes to the Tawny Owl’s success as a hunter is its excellent memory of the layout of different areas | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that the owl is good at hunting because it has a very strong ability to remember the physical arrangement of its territory. Answer Explanation: The answer 'memory' refers to the owl's mental ability to remember the locations and arrangement of things in its environment. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'memory' because the transcript explains that the Tawny Owl is a successful hunter due to its 'excellent memory of the layout of different areas.' In the notes, 'spatial' refers to the layout or arrangement of areas, making 'memory' the perfect fit to describe its ability to remember where things are to find food. |
| Q37 | hearing | Finally, as well as having large eyes, the owl’s sense of hearing is excellent, and this helps it to locate potential prey as it sits on its perch | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript states that the owl has a very good sense of hearing. This special skill helps the bird find animals to eat while it sits on a branch. Answer Explanation: The answer 'hearing' refers to the owl's ability to listen to sounds to find its food. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'hearing' because the speaker mentions that the owl has an 'excellent' sense of hearing. The speaker specifically connects this strong sense to the owl's ability to 'locate' (find) its prey while it is sitting on its 'perch' (a resting place like a branch). These keywords—excellent, locate, and perch—match the structure of the notes provided in the task. |
| Q38 | birds | In urbanized landscapes, the owls seem to prey more on birds | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript says that in areas with many buildings and people, these owls hunt birds more than other types of food. Answer Explanation: The answer is a type of animal with feathers and wings that usually flies in the sky. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'birds' because the expert explains that the food these owls eat changes depending on where they live. While owls in the woods mostly eat small animals like mice, those living in urban (city or town) areas tend to hunt and eat birds more often. Words like 'urbanized landscapes' in the talk match 'urban areas' in the notes, and 'prey more on' matches 'eat more'. |
| Q39 | year | Young Tawny Owls face a difficult time once they leave home, and two out of every three are likely to die within their first year | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript mentions that life is very hard for young owls and many do not survive past their first year. Answer Explanation: The answer means a period of 12 months. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is correct because the expert says that 'two out of every three' (which is the same as two thirds) young birds die during their 'first year'. Since the note asks for a period of time using the phrase 'within a', the word 'year' fits perfectly. |
| Q40 | water | There also appears to be some reluctance to cross large bodies of water | Excerpt/Transcript Explanation: The transcript explains that these owls are not willing to fly over big areas of water. Answer Explanation: The answer 'water' refers to large areas like seas or oceans that Tawny Owls avoid flying across. Reason For Correctness: The correct answer is 'water' because the speaker mentions that these owls do not like to fly over large sections of water. This behavior is the reason why they are not found on most islands. In the talk, 'reluctance' is a synonym for 'dislike,' meaning they are not willing to do something. |
Transcript
Narrator: Test 5, section 4. You will hear a wildlife expert giving a talk to a group of bird lovers in the UK about a species called the Tawny Owl. Before you listen, you have some time to look at questions 31 to 40. Now listen and answer questions 31 to 40.
Wildlife Expert: Good evening, everyone. You’re all likely to be familiar with pictures of the Tawny Owl because of all the owl species in the UK, it’s actually the most common one. But the chances are that you’re more likely to have heard one than actually seen one, as it’s also strongly nocturnal. This means that it normally ventures out at night.
So, what kind of habitats does the Tawny Owl prefer? Well, a survey carried out in the 1980s confirmed that this owl is most likely to be found in woodland. If you look at a map of Tawny Owl distribution across Britain, you’ll only see gaps in the treeless marshy areas of eastern England and in some of the more upland parts of northwest Scotland. However, you can sometimes find populations of Tawny Owls in urban areas too, either in parks or in large gardens.
The Tawny Owl shows some obvious adaptations to its natural habitat. For example, both its wings and its tail are short, which helps it to maneuver through the trees. Also, the bird’s plumage is a mixture of brown and grey, and this provides suitable camouflage for when the owl perches up against a tree trunk.
Then there are its large eyes. The Tawny Owl’s visual capacities are considerably better than those of humans, and although it can’t see in complete darkness, it’s sufficiently well equipped to be able to navigate its way around woodland on all but the most overcast nights.
Another factor that contributes to the Tawny Owl’s success as a hunter is its excellent memory of the layout of different areas. If you combine this ability with the owl’s strongly territorial and sedentary nature—most populations of Tawny Owl are "sit and wait" predators—you realize that it has a good opportunity to predict where prey might be found. Finally, as well as having large eyes, the owl’s sense of hearing is excellent, and this helps it to locate potential prey as it sits on its perch.
Turning now to the Tawny Owl’s diet. Woodland Tawny Owls feed mainly on mammals, especially small ones such as wood mice and bank voles. But they’ll also take things like frogs or bats, or even fish if they happen to be available. In urbanized landscapes, the owls seem to prey more on birds. So there are some differences there.
Let’s just look briefly now at survival rates in the Tawny Owl. Young Tawny Owls face a difficult time once they leave home, and two out of every three are likely to die within their first year. So, with such high mortality levels, it’s a good job that established breeding pairs can produce young over a number of seasons and maximize their chances of passing their genes on to the next generation of owls.
I’ve already mentioned the sedentary nature of the Tawny Owl. But it’s not just adult Tawny Owls that are sedentary in their habits. Young birds dispersing away from where they were born rarely move far. The average distance is just four kilometers. There also appears to be some reluctance to cross large bodies of water. The owl is absent from many of the islands around our shores, with only occasional sightings in Ireland and the Isle of Wight off the south coast of England.
Right. Well, now I’ll show you some photographs that have been taken in one or two of the natural...
Narrator: That is the end of section 4. You now have half a minute to check your answers. That is the end of the listening test. You now have 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the separate answer sheet.