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Scientific
name:
Asio flammeus |
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Family name:
Strigidae |
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Are they endangered? No,
they are not endangered worldwide. [IUCN Red list: Least
concern] They are yellow-listed on the 2007 National
Audubon Society Watchlist which means that their numbers
are decreasing enough that conservation efforts need to
be made. |
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What are their past/present problems?
These birds like open areas. They sometimes eat prey
that has been poisoned by pesticides which will then
begin to overpower their bodies. When this happens,
females will lay thin-shelled eggs that break before
they’re hatched as a mutation. The owls can easily die
from having more pesticide then their body can handle.
The owl population could possibly die off. |
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What do they look like?
Their backs are brown with white markings and their
chests and bellies are white with brown markings. They
have short ear tufts and bright yellow eyes. Their
foreheads are white. |
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How big are they? They
are about 15 inches long. If their wings were spread
out, they would be 3 ˝ feet wide.
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How many eggs do they lay?
Females lay between 3 and 9 white eggs once a year. The
eggs hatch in 5 weeks. |
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How long do the
fledglings stay in the nest?
Their nests are usually built in small holes or ditches
on the ground. The young birds [fledglings] stay in the
nest for about 5 weeks. |
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When do they hunt?
They hunt at night. Sometimes they hunt on dark, cloudy days,
too. |
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What do they eat?
They like to eat birds, insects, and MICE! |
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Where do they live? They
are everywhere in the world except Antarctica and Australia.
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What kind of place do
they like to live in? They
like open areas like grasslands, tundra, seashores, prairies,
and farm fields. |
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Interesting facts:
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If these birds live in a warm climate, they won’t
migrate. If they live in a cold climate, they will
migrate with other Short-eared Owls. Sometimes the
flocks will have a hundred birds in them. |
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This owl bobs while flying, somewhat reminding you of a
moth when it flies. |
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These birds catch their prey with their claws. They
grab their prey with such force that they are killed
instantly. |
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