Short-Eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Habitat
Ground
Diet
VertFishScav
Active Time
Nocturnal
Size
323 g
About This Species
Hunts low over open grassland, moorland, marshes and coastal dunes, often active in daylight at dawn and dusk rather than strictly after dark, quartering the ground on long wings in search of voles. Winter afternoons in open farmland or rough grassland, especially where vole populations are high, offer some of the best chances of extended daytime views.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Stay on paths and keep well back from any bird on the ground or showing signs of roosting, since flushing repeatedly wastes energy it needs for hunting, particularly in winter; ground nests in the breeding season are especially vulnerable to disturbance and dogs, and most countries in its range protect breeding birds under general wildlife law.
- Watching with binoculars from a stationary position rather than following a hunting bird gives good views with minimal impact.
LCAvesStrigiformesStrigidae
Seasonal Activity
446,718 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
All monthsThis month
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Aves
- Order
- Strigiformes
- Family
- Strigidae
Traits
- Diet
- VertFishScav
- Foraging
- Ground
- Activity
- Nocturnal
- Body mass
- 323 g
Photo
(c) Ian Routley, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-SA), uploaded by Ian Routley
CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.