Short-Eared Owl Facts | Asio Flammeus

How to identify

Short-eared Owls are medium sized owls with mottled brown bodies, pale under-wings and yellow eyes. They are often seen hunting during the day. In winter, there's an influx of continental birds (from Scandinavia, Russia, Iceland) to northern, eastern, and parts of central southern England, especially around the coast. They are of European conservation concern and so are an Amber List species.

Call

Short-eared Owl

Daniel Lane / xeno-canto

Key features to look out for

Striking yellow eyes surrounded by dark feathers
Pale underparts with dark streaks
Mottled brown and buff head and wings
Rounded head with barely visible ear tufts
Broad wings and a smooth, buoyant flight style

Conservation status

Short-eared Owls are currently on the Amber List of Birds of Conservation Concern. Their numbers fluctuate depending on prey availability and habitat conditions.

Where and when to see them

Difficulty rating - Medium

Short-eared Owls are active during the day, which makes them easier to spot than most. But their camouflage is excellent, and they often perch low to the ground, so you’ll need sharp eyes and a bit of patience. There are Shorties in the UK all year round, but now is a great time to see them as more join us from Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland to escape the freezing conditions further north.

Short-eared Owls breed in the uplands, on moorlands and rough grasslands. But during the winter they’re much more widespread, turning up in lowland areas and around the coast – so keep an eye out for them hunting over fields, marshes and wetlands.