Short-eared Owl

The Short-eared Owl is a species of typical owl . Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These ear tufts may or may not be visible. Asio flammeus will display its tufts when in a defensive pose. However, its very short tufts are usually not visible. The Short-eared Owl is found in open country and grasslands. The word flammeus is Latin for flaming, or the color of fire.

The Short-eared Owl is classified as Least Concern. Does not qualify for a more at risk category. Widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category.

The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is a species of typical owl (family Strigidae). Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, as they have tufts of feathers resembling mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. Asio flammeus will display its tufts when in a defensive pose. However, its very short tufts are usually not visible. The Short-eared Owl is found in open country and grasslands. The word flammeus is Latin for "flaming, or the color of fire". More

Description: The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized Owl. The plumage is buffy brown with dark streaks on the chest, belly, and back. Males tend to be lighter in colour than females. This colouring provides good camouflage, but if this fails, a Short-eared Owl will feign death to avoid detection. The wings and tail are strongly barred. The yellow eyes are circled with black and set in whitish or buffy-white facial disks, which are suffused with a ring of brown. The bill is black. More

The Short-eared Owl is a medium sized owl that nests on the ground. It can often be seen at dusk flying low off the ground coursing open areas or sitting on a fence post near its roost. Here you will find photos, recordings and a brief field notes section to help identify and enjoy this beautiful owl. A more in depth write up and range map can be found in its natural history page (the Biology link). More

Asio flammeus, the Short-eared Owl, is a medium-sized owl averaging 34–43 cm (13 to 17 inches) in length and weighing 206–475 grams (11 to 13 ounces). It has large eyes, big head, short neck, and broad wings. Its bill is short, strong, hooked and black. Its plumage is mottled tawny to brown with a barred tail and wings. The upper breast is significantly streaked (Alsop 2001). Wingspans range from 85 to 103 cm (38 to 44 inches). Females are slightly larger than males. More

Short-eared owls are medium size owls with small ear tufts that appear as two ridges along the top of the head. They have round, beige facial disks similar to those of barn owls. The underparts are white/buffy (male) or tawny/rust (female), and streaked with brown, while the back is brown and mottled with white. When perched the wings extend beyond the tail and in flight the undersides of the wings show dark markings on the wrists and primary tips. More

Subspecies: There is only one race of Short-eared Owl recognized in North America. The short-eared Owl is wide spread across the world and has a total of ten recognized races, one of these is endemic to the Hawaiian Islands but will not be reviewed here. A. f. flammeus is found from coast to coast in North America. Its breeding range is from Alaska to Central California in the west and Northern Quebec and Newfoundland to Northern Virginia in the east. More

The Short-eared Owl has a large range, estimated globally at 10,000,000 square kilometers. Native to Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and a number of island nations and territories, this bird prefers grassland and wetland ecosystems. The global population of this bird is estimated at 2,400,000 individuals and does not show signs of decline that would necessitate inclusion on the IUCN Red List. For this reason, the current evaluation status of the Short-eared Owl is Least Concern. More

Short-eared Owl The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is in family Strigidae. Owls are classified into two general groups: the typical owls of family Strigidae and the barn owls of family Tytonidae. Asio flammeus is a species of typical owl. Owls belonging to genus Asio are known as the eared owls, which are characterized for tufts of feathers resembling that of mammalian ears. These "ear" tufts may or may not be visible. Asio flammeus will display its tufts when in a defensive pose. More

A bird of open grasslands, the Short-eared Owl is one of the most widely distributed owls in the world. It is found across North America, South America, and Eurasia, and on many oceanic islands. More

The Short-Eared Owl is found throughout Europe, Northern Asia, North America, and much of the lower half of South America. In the UK it is most often seen in the north of the country, though in the winter it becomes more widespread due to migration from more northerly regions. It is very rare in Ireland, possibly due to the low population of voles. It is an extremely nomadic bird, making its population difficult to estimate. More

Short-eared Owls are medium sized owls found in grasslands and marshes across much of North America. Short-eareds are ground nesters and form shallow depressions in the soil called scrapes where the females lay their eggs. Unlike their close relatives the Long-eareds (Asio otus), Short-eared Owls inhabit untended fields where grasses and shrubs can protect adults and chicks alike, as well as provide grains and seed to the rodents the birds prey upon. More

Find short-eared owl information at Animal Diversity Web Short-eared owl = Asio flammeus What do they look like? - Mass 206 to 475 g; avg. 347 g (7.25 to 16.72 oz; avg. 12.21 oz) Length 340 to 423 mm (13.39 to 16. More

Nesting - The Short-eared owl is a ground nester. Preferred nesting sites are mounds or ridges that give a slight elevation above surrounding terrain to guard against flooding. Finding a place with enough vegetation to hide a nesting female, this owl will scrape out a nest bowl in the ground and line it with grass and downy feathers for insulation. More

The Short-eared Owl is a medium-sized hunter, inhabiting open fields, meadows, marshes, prairies, and tundra. With its widespread range and diurnal habits it is one of the most readily observed species of owl though serious declines across its range may place it in jeopardy. Identification Often first seen in flight, low to the ground over a grassland, marsh, or agricultural area, Short-eared Owls, though relatively small (15" in length), appear quite large with the broad wings typical of owls. More

Features: The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) lives in open areas such as grasslands, marshes and tundra where it hunts for small mammals, especially voles. Short-eared Owls nest on the ground and the female sits tight on the eggs while the male brings food to her over the four week incubation period. Short-eared Owls have relatively long wings and are often seen hunting over fields with a bouncy, butterfly-like flight. More

The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is a light-brown bird, heavily streaked below, and with a prominent facial disk. The upper breast is darker than the lower underparts. It is a medium-sized owl, averaging 38 cm long. As the name implies, the ear feathers are typically inconspicuous. Males average 315 - 350 grams, while females are approximately 20% heavier, at 378 - 411 grams. More

Description: Short-eared owls have a large and round head with very small tufts arising from the center of the forehead, generally not seen. Their face is large and the facial ruff is round during normal posture. Short-eared owls have a gray/white facial disk, yellow eyes and a black bill. Flight: In ascending flight, bouncing high flapping wing-beats. When hunting, short-eared owls use few wing-beats interspersed with quartering on slightly positive dihedral wings. More

The Short-eared Owl is found in Germany, Holland, and most parts of Europe; as also in North and South America, from Greenland, Newfoundland, and the Fur Countries, to Cuba, La Plata, Buenos Ayres, the Straits of Magellan, the Falkland Islands, Terra del Fuego, and the Galapagos. So too in Asia, in China, namely, the Ladrone Islands, Assam, Burmah, Japan, Singapore, Bochara, Palestine, Mesopotamia, etc Likewise in Africa, as in Algeria, Morocco, Natal and Abyssinia. More

Short-Eared Owl Pictures, great pictures of short-eared owls in nature = Here is our collection of short-eared owl pictures. This collection is going to get larger as the weeks go by. We love short-eared owl photos and we are going to increase the number of short-eared owl pictures in this section very soon. More

An endangered short-eared owl returns to the wild by Jacques Nuzzo Program Director The wind blew hard and cold across the fields of corn stubble. In town, buildings and houses stop most of the rushing air. Out here it was a different story. As we let the short-eared owl go, the gusty winds carried him away from us even faster than usual. More

Browse: Home / Birds / Short-eared Owl in flight, Dorset Short-eared Owl in flight, Dorset - By Charlie • July 12, 2008 • 7 comments I just came across a series of photos I mean to post earlier in the year and then add to our ever-growing collection of photo-galleries, but, what the hey, I’ll post them now. Unseasonal they may be, but I think they’re interesting nonetheless. More

Short-eared owls are medium-sized birds that hunt over grassy fields and marshes and are most likely to be seen at dusk, when field marks begin to fade. They breed across Alaska and northern Canada and south in the West to the center of the United States and in the East to New England and the eastern Great Lakes. They breed farther south sporadically and winter from southern Canada through the southern United States, except for the southern tier states, where they are rare. More

Breeding distribution of the Short-eared Owl in the United States and southern Canada, based on Breeding Bird Survey data, 1985-1996. Scale represents average number of individuals detected per route per year. Map from J. T. Price, American Bird Conservancy, Boulder, Colorado, pers. comm. - Key to management is providing large grasslands and wetlands, particularly those that can support high densities of voles (Microtus spp.). More

General description: The short-eared owl is about the size of a crow. It has a spotted brown back, streaks on its breast, and dark feathers around its eyes. Size: These birds grow to be 12 to 16 inches tall, with a wingspan of more than 3 feet. Color: Short-eared owls are brown with white feathers mixed in. They also have white legs and flanks. You may notice black patches around their yellow eyes and a black patch on each wrist. More

Short-eared Owl Habitat Model go to: USFWS Gulf of Maine Watershed Habitat Analysis go to: Species Table Feedback: We welcome your suggestions on improving this model! Draft Date: June 2001 Species: Short-eared Owl, Asio flammeus Use of Study Area Resources: Reproduction (potential) and wintering: Holt and Leasure (1993) designated areas in the northern half of Maine as potential breeding habitat, and the remainder of the study area More