Short-eared Owl

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Short-eared Owl

	Scientific name: Asio flammeus
	Family name: Strigidae
	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.
	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.

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.

How big are they? They are about 15 inches long. If their wings were spread out, they would be 3 ½ feet wide.

How many eggs do they lay? Females lay between 3 and 9 white eggs once a year. The eggs hatch in 5 weeks.

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.

When do they hunt? They hunt at night. Sometimes they hunt on dark, cloudy days, too.

What do they eat? They like to eat birds, insects, and MICE!

Where do they live? They are everywhere in the world except Antarctica and Australia.

What kind of place do they like to live in? They like open areas like grasslands, tundra, seashores, prairies, and farm fields.

Interesting facts:

	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.
	This owl bobs while flying, somewhat reminding you of a moth when it flies.
	These birds catch their prey with their claws. They grab their prey with such force that they are killed instantly.