Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Identification
- Medium sized owl, yellow eyes edged with black and set in a whitish facial disc edged with brown, black bill, small ear tufts that are barely visible in flight
- Plummage is brown with dark streaks on the chest, stomach and back with large black wing patches that are only seen during flight
- Males are a lighter colour than females
- They have an eratic moth-like flight pattern
- The Short-eared is generally nocturnal but are often found 30-60 minutes before sunset
Length: 34-43cm
Wingspan: 85-103cm
Weight: 7.3-16.8oz (206-475g)
Habitat
The Short-eared owls enjoy habitats of wide open spaces such as grasslands, prairies, agricultural fields, salt marshes, estuaries, mountain meadows, and the alpine and arctic tundra. Although they tend to inhabit open areas, there must be enough ground cover to hide nests and have many sources of food. During the winter, the Short-eared Owl's are often found in communcal roosts located in oldgrowth fields, along thick hedgerows, overgrown rubble in abandoned fields, or in clumpse of dense conifers.
Food
They hunt mainly during the night by flying over open areas and then pounce on their prey. Occassionally they hunt from perches or from the ground. Their main source of food are small mammals, but they will also prey upon birds and insects.
* Mammalian Prey include: deer mice, shrew, squirrels, pocket gophers, pocket mice, moles, rats, bats, rabbits, and muskrats
* Birds are important when hunting in marshes and coastal areas, they tend to prey on shorebirds, terns, small gulls and seabirds. When hunting inland, they can catch horned larks, meadowlarks, blackbirds, and pipits.
* Insects include roaches, grasshoppers, beetles, katydids, and caterpillers
Natural Enemies of the Short-eared Owl include diurnal raptors (bald eagles, goshawks, gryfalcons, red-tailed hawks, and snowy owls). They are also vulnerable to mammalian predators since they live on the ground, such as skunks, foxes, coyotes prey upon the adult birds, while Jaegars, gulls, ravens, and crows steal the eggs and chicks.
* Mammalian Prey include: deer mice, shrew, squirrels, pocket gophers, pocket mice, moles, rats, bats, rabbits, and muskrats
* Birds are important when hunting in marshes and coastal areas, they tend to prey on shorebirds, terns, small gulls and seabirds. When hunting inland, they can catch horned larks, meadowlarks, blackbirds, and pipits.
* Insects include roaches, grasshoppers, beetles, katydids, and caterpillers
Natural Enemies of the Short-eared Owl include diurnal raptors (bald eagles, goshawks, gryfalcons, red-tailed hawks, and snowy owls). They are also vulnerable to mammalian predators since they live on the ground, such as skunks, foxes, coyotes prey upon the adult birds, while Jaegars, gulls, ravens, and crows steal the eggs and chicks.
Nesting
Courtship:
The short-eared owl attracts its mate by making aerial displays, rising quickly with rythmic and exaggerated wing beats, hovering, then gliding down very quickly and then starting again. They complete this series of events by making wing claps and adding some singing. The flight ends with a spectacular descent.
Nesting:
Short-eared Owls nest on the ground among vegetative covering, and lines the base of their nests with grass, herb stalks and feathers. They lay 4-14 eggs, and the female and the male take turns incubating the eggs. The young leave the nest to wander along the ground after 12 days and fledge at about 4 weeks. Groups of nesting couples may form loose colonies.
The short-eared owl attracts its mate by making aerial displays, rising quickly with rythmic and exaggerated wing beats, hovering, then gliding down very quickly and then starting again. They complete this series of events by making wing claps and adding some singing. The flight ends with a spectacular descent.
Nesting:
Short-eared Owls nest on the ground among vegetative covering, and lines the base of their nests with grass, herb stalks and feathers. They lay 4-14 eggs, and the female and the male take turns incubating the eggs. The young leave the nest to wander along the ground after 12 days and fledge at about 4 weeks. Groups of nesting couples may form loose colonies.
Calls
The Short-eared is generally a quiet bird but when they do call, it sounds like a sneezy bark sounding like 'kee-yow! wow! or waow!' When marking territory, the male makes a sound like an old steam engine, 'voo-hoo-hoo!' and is often given during flight displays. Females respond with a barking 'kee-ow.' Both sexes give a 'cheeaw' call when disturbed in their nests. They also may squak, bark, hiss or squeal.
To hear the Short-eared Owl, click HERE!
To hear the Short-eared Owl, click HERE!
Range/Distribution
The Short-Eared Owl is found nearly worldwide, and is highly nomadic and migratory except in the southern areas of its range. It breeds from Alaska across arctic Canada, and south to central California, Kansas, Ohio and NewJersey. They winter south throughout most of the United States.
View Distribution Map
View Observations Map
View Distribution Map
View Observations Map
Conservation
The Short-eared owl lives an average of 13 years in the wild, and is plagued by many natural enemies as well as man-made occurences such as collisions with vehicles which accounts for many deaths. They are attracted to the open fields of Airports and collisions with airplanes is another major factor.
Ontario has placed this species of owls as a 'Species of Special Concern' because of a long-term population decline as well as the steady loss of their natural habitats. Monitoring breeding populations is also a difficult task since they tend to wander around their wintering and breeding grounds hunting for food.
Bird Studies Canada in Port Rowan in currently documenting the breeding and wintering grounds in Southern Ontario as well as tracking certain birds.
In terms of conservation, it is recognised that grasslands are the fastest diminishing eco-systems in the world and therefore grassland birds, such as the Short-eared Owls, are facing a very sharp decline as well. There needs to be a greater understanding of habitat use and selection for these birds, such as being able to identify areas that seem to support the largest concentrations of breeding and wintering owls in order to properly direct future conservation efforts.
Visit the Birds Studies Canada website to see their current work research being done for the conservation of the Short-eared Owl as well as the tracking of one particular short-eared owls.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Special Concern
Ontario has placed this species of owls as a 'Species of Special Concern' because of a long-term population decline as well as the steady loss of their natural habitats. Monitoring breeding populations is also a difficult task since they tend to wander around their wintering and breeding grounds hunting for food.
Bird Studies Canada in Port Rowan in currently documenting the breeding and wintering grounds in Southern Ontario as well as tracking certain birds.
In terms of conservation, it is recognised that grasslands are the fastest diminishing eco-systems in the world and therefore grassland birds, such as the Short-eared Owls, are facing a very sharp decline as well. There needs to be a greater understanding of habitat use and selection for these birds, such as being able to identify areas that seem to support the largest concentrations of breeding and wintering owls in order to properly direct future conservation efforts.
Visit the Birds Studies Canada website to see their current work research being done for the conservation of the Short-eared Owl as well as the tracking of one particular short-eared owls.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Special Concern
Interesting Facts
- The Short-eared owl seems to have benefited from strip-mining since it uses reclaimed and replanted mines south of its normal breeding range
Want to Know More?
Check Out:
Birds Studies Canada (BSC) Research on Short-Eared Owls
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/seow/index.jsp?targetpg=index&lang=EN
BSC Tracking
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/seow/index.jsp?targetpg=index&lang=EN
Birds Studies Canada (BSC) Research on Short-Eared Owls
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/seow/index.jsp?targetpg=index&lang=EN
BSC Tracking
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/research/speciesatrisk/seow/index.jsp?targetpg=index&lang=EN