Holly is an owl who appears in both the books and the TV series as the mate of Tawny Owl. As such, in the books the character is female and in the TV series the character is male. In the TV series he is known as Hollow to reflect the gender change. Owl finds Hollow in Farthinghurst after being mocked by some of the other animals for not having a mate.
Books[]
In the Path of the Storm[]
Holly is first encountered by Tawny Owl in the Great Beech in Farthinghurst a few days after he arrives there. She tells him that she was born in Farthing Wood shortly before it was destroyed and that she is the last owl remaining since the town was built. Tawny Owl tells her the story of the journey to White Deer Park and about his friends, before giving Holly her new name as she has never been known as anything before.
Holly decides to test Tawny Owl's feelings towards her by telling him about an owl who has been watching her and competing for her affections. She eventually convinces Tawny Owl to fly off in this owl's direction and chase him off, but Owl hits some nylon netting and lands on a wet concrete driveway. When Owl returns to the beech, Holly confesses that she made up the other owl to find out whether he really wanted to keep company with her. For the rest of the summer Holly is forced to hunt for Tawny Owl, who cannot fly because of the concrete on his wings.
When the hurricane arrives Holly takes cover in a hedge until the storm is over. Then she and Tawny Owl head back to White Deer Park, stopping several times on the way to rest and hunt. Holly insists that Owl continues to let her catch food for both of them so he does not tire himself out, and when he strands himself on the ground while catching a mouse she scolds him for it. Eventually the two owls arrive in White Deer Park and Holly is introduced to Tawny Owl's old friends and shown around the park.
Battle for the Park[]
During the spring Holly gives birth to three chicks and spends all of her time trying to raise them. When the Farthing Wood animals ask for Tawny Owl's help with the new reserve and the rats, Holly objects to his leaving her alone with the owlets, but Owl still goes to help his friends. Holly is impressed when Tawny Owl is able to provide for the owlets by killing several rats and bringing them back to the nest, but she is not impressed when he puts on weight by eating several rats himself and she decides that their association will end when the owlets are fully-grown. When the rats launch their attack on the Farthing Wood animals, Holly is the first to spot them and alerts Tawny Owl. The two of them, also joined by their fully-grown owlets, take part in the battle by swooping down and killing several rats as they advance into the Hollow.
Appearances[]
Books
TV series
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