Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Conservation Concern 4
Short-eared Owls are owls of open country that are active in the daytime, especially at dawn and dusk. In Yukon, breeding is tied to population cycles of lemmings and voles, causing their distribution and numbers to change markedly from year to year. In southern Canada, large-scale destruction of native prairie grasslands has been particularly hard on them, and natural wetland drainage, urban expansion and increasingly intensive farming have contributed to their decline. They are exposed to danger from predators and agricultural machinery because they nest on the ground. Shooting, collisions with aircraft, trains, cars, barbed wire and farm machinery are added factors.
Description 4
Short-eared Owls are medium- sized, long-winged owls with small, feather “ear tufts”, and black bands that frame their yellow eyes. Females are larger and darker with heavier streaking than males.
Typical Habitat 4
Nesting on the ground in grasslands, tundra, bogs, marshes and other open forest areas with abundant small mammals.
Potential Threats 4
There are limited threats to Short-eared Owls in Yukon. Their primary limiting factor is loss of their native habitat to agricultural crops or pastureland. However, these owls are sensitive to human disturbances during egg laying and incubation as females easily desert the nest if disturbed. The collision of adults with vehicles, utility lines and barbed-wire fences, may also contribute to population decline. Concentrations of pesticides, particularly organochlorines, have been detected in Short-eared Owl eggs; the effects of these contaminants are not yet well known.
Did you know? 4
One of the best ways to identify a Short-eared Owl is to watch its distinct moth-like flight when hunting (deep wing-beats, occasional hovering, and cutting low over patches of grassland or marsh). Short-eared Owls are the only owls that build their own nests. They typically search for food during dusk and dawn.
Sources and Credits
- (c) Kentish Plumber, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC-ND), https://www.flickr.com/photos/plumberjohn/4451785466/
- (c) Jay Iwasaki, some rights reserved (CC BY), https://www.flickr.com/photos/iwasaki/2265636289/
- (c) Steve Garvie, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), https://www.flickr.com/photos/rainbirder/4713322691/
- (c) L.G. Johanson, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
Range Map
iNat Map
| Animal | Bird |
|---|---|
| Bird | Owls (Strigiformes) |
| Color | brown, grey, white |
