Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

🦉 Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

Taxonomy

• Order: Strigiformes
• Family: Strigidae
• Genus: Asio
• Species: A. otus

🔍 Identification

The Long-eared Owl is a medium-sized, slim, and very well-camouflaged nocturnal owl.

Key features:

• Long, dark ear tufts that point upward — raised mainly when alert or displaying
• Bright orange eyes and a narrow black facial border giving a distinctive stare
• Cryptic brown-buff plumage with streaking that blends into woodland cover
• Silent, buoyant flight reminiscent of a large moth

Size:

• Length: 31–40 cm
• Wingspan: 86–100 cm
• Weight: 200–350 g

Often confused with:

• Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) → yellow eyes, habits open fields, ear tufts rarely visible
• Tawny Owl → bulkier, dark eyes, lacks long ear tufts

📍 Distribution & Habitat

Range: Widespread across Europe, Asia, North America, and parts of North Africa.

Prefers mixed environments:

• Coniferous and mixed woodlands for roosting
• Adjacent open fields, meadows, or marshes for hunting

Winter roosts:
Multiple individuals may gather in dense hedges or evergreens — sometimes 20+ owls in one communal roost!

🍽️ Diet & Hunting

A strictly nocturnal predator relying on:

• Small mammals (especially voles and mice)
• Occasionally small birds, bats, insects

Hunts by perch-and-pounce, using exceptional hearing and silent flight to locate prey in complete darkness.

Coughs up oval pellets full of bones and fur, often found below roosting sites.

🧬 Behavior & Ecology

• Territorial during breeding season, but more social outside it
• Uses abandoned crow, magpie, or squirrel nests — does not build its own
• Nesting well hidden in dense vegetation

Acoustic note:
Male call is a soft, rhythmic “hoo … hoo … hoo”, spaced several seconds apart and audible over long distances.

🐣 Life Cycle

• Breeding: March–June
• Clutch: 3–7 eggs
• Incubation: ~27 days (female only)
• Chicks fledge at ~3–4 weeks, but remain dependent for several weeks more
• Lifespan: up to 25+ years (shorter in the wild)

🎯 Special Adaptations

• Ear tufts are visual signals — not used for hearing
• Asymmetrical ear openings for pinpoint sound localization
• Feather fringes for ultra-silent flight
• Camouflage posture (elongated body, tufts raised) mimics a broken branch

🌍 Conservation Status

• IUCN: Least Concern
• Declining regionally due to:
  • Agricultural intensification reducing rodent prey
  • Loss of hedgerows and roosting cover
  • Collisions with vehicles and fences

Supports ecosystems by regulating rodent populations.

🧾 Key Facts Summary

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