Owls
Short-eared Owl
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Asio flammeus
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Voice
Alarm
Thomas SIGNEAU
Call
Sonothèque ADVL
Alarm
Thomas SIGNEAU
How to recognize it
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36 cm, like a small owl with long narrow wings
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Rufous-brown above, paler below
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White face disks with black eye rings; ear tufts tiny and usually hidden
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Low flight over open ground, irregular wingbeats; scratchy call "waowk-waowk"
About the species
The Short-eared Owl gives an open-country impression, with broad wings and a buoyant, wavering flight that looks almost lazy from a distance. Its face has a pale, mask-like look, and the small feather tufts usually stay hidden unless it feels threatened.
It is active by day as well as in the dim light of morning and evening, and it often hunts low over grassland with slow, steady wingbeats before dropping onto prey. Its voice is rough and scratchy, more bark than hoot.
It favors open ground such as grasslands, tundra, meadows, and other treeless places. Rodents make up most of its food, though it will also take birds and insects, and some populations move south in winter or wander when food runs low.
Where to find
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On weedy vacant lots and rough grass at the edge of open lawns — watch for low, buoyant hunting flights just above the ground.
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Along pond edges, canal banks, and damp meadows — especially at dusk, when it skims over reeds and long grass.
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On city outskirts with wide fields and abandoned grassland — the telltale sign is a short, wavering flight before dropping onto prey.
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In winter, it may perch on fence posts and wires beside open ground, scanning the grass for rodents.
You might also see
Sources
- eBird — Asio flammeus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Short-eared owl Encyclopedia article