Aside from the Hawk Owl, owls do not generally have much by way of a tail as their hunting methods do not require them to - relying as they do mainly on stealth, the need to maneuver quickly seldom arises. A Barn owl's tail, for example, is so short it barely shows from beneath the bird's folded wings. The Tawny owl, on the other hand, has a slightly larger tail as it is a woodland bird and needs a higher degree of aerial agility. Again we find that owls have developed their shape to meet the requirements of their preferred habitat as is the case with the diurnal birds of prey.

The tail consists of 12 feathers and works in exactly the same way as diurnal birds of prey. For a more detailed explanation, see the tail section of diurnal raptors.