Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Identification
- Medium sized owl, crow-sized, similiar to the Great Horned Owl but smaller, more slender, and with closely parted ear tufts
- Whitish with dark streaks on the chest and bars on the lower half of the body
- Orange facial disc, with white feathers forming an 'X' between the eyes
- Exclusively comes out at night, and stays very well hidden during the day by roosting in dense foliage against the trunks of trees
- Flight is butterfly-like, while in flight the earf tufts are almost invisible
- Males are commonly paler, but are the same in other aspects
Wingspan: 90-100 cm
Weight: 7.8-15.3 oz (220-435 g)
Habitat
The Long-eared owl is usually seen "frozen" close to the trunk of a very dense tree, and will often roost in groups, in the winter numbering up to 50. They tend to populate woodlands, thickets, conifer groves, prefering either coniferous or mixed forests. They also rarely occupy orchards and streamside wooodlands.
Food
The Long-eared Owl hunt by ranging over rangelands, clearings and fallow foods from late dusk to before dawn. When prey is found, the bird pins it to the ground. They feed primarily on small mammals, and in most areas voles were the most common prey with deer mice in all others.
* Other Mammals include: squirrels, bats, chipmunks, gophers, shrews, moles, and cottontail rabbits
* Occassionally birds are taken as prey, including: meadowlarks, blackbirds, juncos, Horned Larks, doves, bluebirds, and thrashers; larger birds are also taken such as grouse and screech owls
* Sometimes insects, frogs, and snakes
Natural Predators of the Long-eared Owl are the Great Horned and Barred Owls, and Raccoons like to steal the eggs and chicks.
* Other Mammals include: squirrels, bats, chipmunks, gophers, shrews, moles, and cottontail rabbits
* Occassionally birds are taken as prey, including: meadowlarks, blackbirds, juncos, Horned Larks, doves, bluebirds, and thrashers; larger birds are also taken such as grouse and screech owls
* Sometimes insects, frogs, and snakes
Natural Predators of the Long-eared Owl are the Great Horned and Barred Owls, and Raccoons like to steal the eggs and chicks.
Nesting
Courtship:
Males perform flight displays around nesting sites, where they erratically fly and glide with occassional wing clapping. Females respond with a nest call and chose there nest by hopping around it and then joining her mate with flight displays above the nest site.
Nesting:
The long-eared owl lays 3-10 white eggs in old nests of hawks, crows, magpies, or squirrels. They may also nests in tree cavities, but not as often. The eggs are incubated for 26-28 days by the female. The young leave the nest at 3 weeks and are able to fly 5 weeks after hatching. The young become independant of their parents at 2 months.
Males perform flight displays around nesting sites, where they erratically fly and glide with occassional wing clapping. Females respond with a nest call and chose there nest by hopping around it and then joining her mate with flight displays above the nest site.
Nesting:
The long-eared owl lays 3-10 white eggs in old nests of hawks, crows, magpies, or squirrels. They may also nests in tree cavities, but not as often. The eggs are incubated for 26-28 days by the female. The young leave the nest at 3 weeks and are able to fly 5 weeks after hatching. The young become independant of their parents at 2 months.
Calls
The Long-eared owl makes a low moaning 'hooooo' as well as a cat-like whine. They are tempremental when it comes to answering other calls of Long-eared owls as well as imitations to their own calls. They also make various shrieks, whistles, dove like coo's, hisses or barks, or hoots. A long-eared owl's hoot can be heard up to 1km away on a silent night.
To listen to the Long-eared Owl, click HERE!
To listen to the Long-eared Owl, click HERE!
Range/Distribution
The Long-eared owl inhabits a range from Canada to south-west and south-central United States, Eurasia, and North Africa (Around the world in the Northern Hemisphere). It migrates in the Fall time from Northern Ontario to Southern Ontario.
View Observation Map
View Distribution Map
View Observation Map
View Distribution Map
Conservation
The conservation status of the Long-eared is not well know but it seems as if populations are steady in most parts of North America. They benefit well from man-made forests since they create heavy fragments of forests situated beside open fields good for hunting. Although this is benefiting the long-eared owl, we still need to protect wooded river corridors, and tree groves.
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS: Least Concern
Interesting Facts
- The Long-eared Owl is capable of catching mice in complete darkness
- like most owls, they have assymetrical ear openings; their left ear is higher than the right. The poisitioning helps the bird to locate prey by sound and to triangulate in on the sound.
Want to Know More?
Check Out:
Talk about Wildlife
http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/index.php?s=168
Birds Studies Canada Fact Sheet
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/download/longearedsheet.pdf
Ask Nature
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/23622b910ce5191565340ef0b67fa2f1
Talk about Wildlife
http://talkaboutwildlife.ca/profile/index.php?s=168
Birds Studies Canada Fact Sheet
http://www.bsc-eoc.org/download/longearedsheet.pdf
Ask Nature
http://www.asknature.org/strategy/23622b910ce5191565340ef0b67fa2f1