The Long-eared Owl is a shy, secretive owl and like the Tawny Owl is almost entirely
nocturnal, unlike most owls this owl will roost in quite large numbers together.They
like both broad leaved and evergreen woodland to nest in but like to hunt over more
open ground.
The Long-eared Owl can change it’s shape quite dramatically, when roosting and relaxed
it has a rounded shape but when alarmed or disturbed it can make itself very thin
and almost invisible, their large ear tufts also help break up their outline. Like
the Barn Owl and Tawny Owl it can open and close the facial disk, when sleeping it
is closed and when listening for prey it becomes fully open. It hunts mainly by hearing
and is a very accomplished night hunter, the ear openings are very large and run
almost the whole length of the face and like the Barn Owls they are asymmetrical.
The main diet of the Long-eared Owl consists of mice. voles and rats. They hunt on
the edge of woodland and rough grassland and fly very slowly and close to the ground.
The feather colour ranges from yellowish brown to grey with white spotting and they
have orange eyes. Their wings are longer than the Barn Owls and have orange or buff
markings across the primaries.
The call of the Long-eared Owl ranges from deep hoots to a noise similar to blowing
through a comb.
The Long-eared Owl nests in the woodland and will use old crows nests or squirrel
dreys.
There are approximately 2.000 breeding pairs of Long-eared Owls in Britain
This number is boosted from October to May when Long-eared Owls come over from Europe
for the winter.
THE LONG-EARED OWL
Latin Name. . Asio otus
Distribution. The Long-eared Owl is found in Europe,Asia, North Africa, Scandinavia,
Siberia, Japan and North America.
Breeding. . The female lays from 4 to 5 eggs in March/April. Incubation is 27 to
28 days and the young leave the nest at 20 to 25 days and they are able to fly well
at 35 days.
Status. Long-eared Owls are fairly common locally and widespread. Because they use
old crows nest they are often mistakenly shot by farmers trying to keep the crow
population down.
Length. 35 to 37 cm. Wingspan. 90 to 100 cm..
Weight. 200 to 400g.
