Long-eared Owls | 4K
Channel: Nature Jedi
Date: 17/01/2024

Long-Eared Owl
Asio otus :                                                                                                           During daylight hours, Long-Eared Owls adopt a more secretive behavior. They rest in heavily foliated areas, such as dense vegetation or thicket-covered trees, to remain hidden from potential predators and human disturbance. 

As well as its distinctive ear tufts, perhaps the most striking feature of a long-eared owl are its piercing bright orange eyes. However, as the UKs most nocturnal owl species, its rare that they are out in daylight hours, so itd be a really rare event to see one with your own eyes. Appearance & Identification
What do Long-Eared Owls look like?
Long-eared owls have mottled orange-brown feathers, which allow them to blend into their woodland habitats with ease. Facial markings include a buff-brown round facial disc, with pale “eyebrows” and large, bright orange eyes.

When alarmed, its prominent ear tufts, from which the species takes its name, are visible, but these are normally flattened and cannot be seen in flight.

Wings are long and rounded, and barred with dark brown and buff markings and a darker wingtip. The underside of the wings is pale, with a distinctive block of dark patterning along the upper edge. The tail feathers are also marked with dark brown and buff barring. Female long-eared owls are generally darker than males, and also larger. Their plumage is more colourful, with more marked contrasting between the streaky shades of darker brown and richer buff-orange.

Juvenile long-eared owls have the same round, buff facial disc as adults and the same barred wings and tail, but their bodies are mottled with grey and buff rather than the browner tones seen in adult birds. How big are Long-Eared Owls?
A medium sized-owl, long-eared owls are slightly larger than barn owls and marginally smaller than short-eared owls. Females are larger and heavier than males. Despite looking long and sleek in flight, long-eared owls are actually smaller than woodpigeons. Diet
What do Long-Eared Owls eat?
Long-eared owls are nocturnal hunters, searching for prey in open country, and locating it mainly by ear.

For long-eared owls resident in Britain, field voles, wood mice, bank voles and common rats are the chief prey.

Out of the breeding season, small birds represent a larger share of a long-eared owl’s diet, particularly finches, buntings and thrushes which are caught while they roost overnight.

What do Long-Eared Owl chicks eat?
For the initial post-hatching period, young long-eared owls are fed prey that is ripped into smaller pieces by the female. While the female is incubating, the male brings her food to the nest, and as hatching approaches, prey is stockpiled so the young can be fed instantly.

Prey items are the same as those eaten by adult long-eared owls, with field voles being of top importance. Once the young have reached around two weeks of age, prey is swallowed whole.

Length
Male: 35 cm to 37.5 cm (13.8 in to 14.8 in)
Female: 37 cm to 40 cm (14.6 in to 15.7 in)
Weight
Male: 220 g to 305 g (7.8 oz to 10.8 oz)
Female: 260 g to 435 g (9.2 oz to 15.3 oz)
Wingspan
90 cm to 100 cm (35 in to 29 in)