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| MEASUREMENTS: The Short-eared Owl has a body length of 13 - 17 inches, a 3 - 3 1/2 foot wingspan, and weighs 10 -18 ounces. |
 HABITAT: Short-eared Owls are found on every continent but Australia and Antarctica. They prefer open country, such as marshes, tundra, grasslands, savannas, shrub-steppes, and agricultural areas up to 12,000 feet. Short-eared Owls roost on the ground or in low trees or bushes. |
| DIET: Short-eared Owls actively hunt during the day (diurnal), at night (nocturnal), and at dusk and dawn (crepuscular). By using a low slow flight over the ground, they hunt small mammals such as voles, shrews, moles, rabbits, and occasionally birds. |
| REPRODUCTION: The nest is a scraped-out depression on the ground that is lined with grass and feathers. The female lays 4 - 7 eggs that are incubated 24 - 29 days. The young owls leave the nest at 14 - 18 days and fledge when they are 24 - 27 days old. The fledglings may form a social group and roost together during the day. These owls are able to breed in their first year. |
| NAME DERIVATION: The scientific name is from the Latin words asio, used by Pliny to specify a horned owl, and flammeus, meaning flaming or fiery and refers to the appearance of the bird’s plumage. The common name indicates the short feather tufts on its head. This bird has also been called a Bog Owl, Flat-faced Owl, Grass Owl, and Marsh Owl. |
INTERESTING FACTS:
- Short-eared Owls have an uncanny ability to find areas with high prey concentrations and they gather in large numbers at these sites. They may nest in these areas instead of returning to their traditional nest sites.
- The male’s courtship flight includes audible wing clapping.
- Owls that are more active during the day, like Snowy Owls, Burrowing Owls, and Short-eared Owls, tend to have more noticeable color differences between the sexes, although it is usually subtle. This is known as sexual dimorphism.
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