Nuit de la Chouette in the Eure

A night to listen to birds of prey

The Nuit de la Chouette in the Eure is an exceptional event that invites the public to meet the nocturnal birds of prey — owls, eagle-owls, and barn owls — in the Eure countryside. Organized every two years in March by LPO Normandie (League for the Protection of Birds), this national event takes place in several towns in the Eure with night outings guided by passionate volunteer ornithologists.

An unknown natural heritage

The Eure department is home to five species of nocturnal birds of prey: the Tawny Owl, the Little Owl, the Barn Owl, the Long-eared Owl, and the Short-eared Owl. Normandy is one of the French strongholds for the Little Owl (Athene noctua), with around 3,600 breeding pairs in the region. The Roumois, a territory in the north of the Eure, is particularly rich in Little Owl populations.

A two-part program

Each evening takes place in two parts. First, an illustrated conference in a hall allows participants to discover the different species of Norman nocturnal birds of prey, their biology, their habitat, and the threats they face. Then, a night outing in the field (weather permitting) takes participants into the Eure countryside to listen to the calls and hoots of owls and eagle-owls in their natural environment.

A national event, a local version

Created in 1995, the Nuit de la Chouette celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2025. This biennial event is the largest national gathering dedicated to nocturnal birds of prey, mobilizing hundreds of sites across France. In the Eure, LPO Normandie organizes activities in several towns, often in partnership with municipalities, local naturalist associations, and the department's sensitive natural areas.

Raising awareness for the protection of birds of prey

Beyond discovery, the Nuit de la Chouette aims to raise awareness for the protection of nocturnal birds of prey. These birds, valuable allies to farmers by regulating rodent populations, are threatened by the disappearance of their habitats (hedges, old trees, barns), the use of pesticides, and road collisions. The event is an opportunity to present LPO's actions for their conservation, such as the installation of nest boxes and population monitoring programs.