The short-eared owl is a medium-sized, fairly bulky bird of prey with long broad wings, a large, rounded head, and short ear tufts.
Breeding birds: 620 – 2,180 pairs
The adult short-eared owl has mottled brown and buff upperparts, and pale buff underparts with heavy honey-brown streaks on the upper breast and finer streaks along the sides and flanks. Its underwings are buffy-white with black tips, a dark wrist patch, and a light ochre marking, while the tail is buff with brown blotches and several dark bars.
The head has a pale grey facial disc framed by black around the eyes, with a white forehead and chin. The bill is black, the eyes are yellow, and the feathered legs and feet are white.
Females resemble males but are slightly larger, with a browner overall appearance and heavier streaking.
Juvenile short-eared owls have darker crowns and rumps, brown facial discs edged with buff-tipped feathers, and buff underparts.
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Short-eared owls breed between March and June, producing one brood per season. They are monogamous and often nest in loose colonies. During courtship, the male performs an aerial display, soaring high before dramatically swooping down while striking his wings against his body. The female constructs the nest, which is a shallow scrape in the ground, either in an open area or sheltered by vegetation, lining it with grass and feathers plucked from her breast.
A typical clutch consists of 4–7 white eggs, though larger clutches may occur when food, particularly voles, is abundant. The female incubates the eggs for 24–29 days, while the male provides food and protects the nest. To deter predators, he employs distraction displays, such as feigning injury and making loud calls.
The chicks grow quickly, beginning to move around the nest at just 12 days old, which helps reduce their vulnerability to predators. They fledge at four weeks and reach sexual maturity at one year.
Short-eared owls are nocturnal hunting at night. They eat mainly small mammals such as voles, mice, squirrels, rats, bats, shrews, and rabbits. They will also catch small birds.
Short-eared owls breed in northern England and Scotland, but are seen more widely in winter. Look for them on coastal marshes and wetlands.
Short-eared owls begin calling while they are still inside the egg. It is a high-pitched sound which becomes lower in pitch at around 7 days old.
