Long-eared Owl Guide
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The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) is a slender, medium-sized owl named for the tall feather tufts on its head. Those tufts are not ears; the actual ear openings are hidden beneath the facial feathers. Secretive habits, subdued plumage, and a preference for dense daytime cover make this owl much easier to hear than to see.
In North America, Long-eared Owls inhabit landscapes where thick woods or shelterbelts stand close to grassland, shrubland, farmland, or other open hunting areas. They are most conspicuous during winter, when several birds may share a traditional roost.
Quick Identification
- Shape: Slim owl with a relatively small head, long wings, and prominent, closely spaced ear tufts.
- Eyes: Orange to yellow-orange, set within a warm buff or rusty facial disc.
- Plumage: Mottled brown above; pale buff below with strong vertical streaks and finer crossbars.
- Posture: Often stretches upright and compresses its feathers when alarmed, resembling a broken branch.
- Flight: Buoyant and nearly silent, with deep wingbeats and occasional glides.
- Voice: The breeding male gives a low, evenly spaced hoo.
Appearance and Field Marks
A perched Long-eared Owl appears narrow-bodied and elongated rather than bulky. Its tall ear tufts rise near the center of the crown and may be lowered when the bird is relaxed or flying. A pale line often outlines the dark facial disc, while blackish areas around the orange eyes produce an intense expression.
The upperparts are intricately mottled gray-brown, blackish, buff, and whitish. The underparts are pale buff to whitish, marked by heavy dark streaking on the breast and narrower streaks crossed by fine horizontal bars on the belly. The combination of orange eyes, long tufts, and a finely patterned underside is especially useful. Males and females have similar plumage, although females are generally larger and can appear somewhat darker or richer in color.
Size and Measurements
Adults are typically 13.8–15.8 inches (35–40 centimeters) long, with a wingspan of about 35.4–39.4 inches (90–100 centimeters). Weight generally ranges from 7.8–15.3 ounces (220–435 grams), with females averaging heavier than males.
Although close to an American Crow in length, a Long-eared Owl is much lighter. Its broad feathers and long wings create a larger apparent size in flight than its body mass suggests.
Range and Distribution
The species occurs broadly across the Northern Hemisphere. In North America, it breeds from Alaska and much of Canada south through parts of the western, northern, and central United States. Some populations are resident, while others migrate or wander south for winter. Wintering birds may occur across much of the contiguous United States and into Mexico, but their distribution varies from year to year.
Long-eared Owls can be locally regular yet difficult to detect, and apparent absences may reflect limited nighttime surveys or concealed roosts. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Long-eared Owl account provides additional identification and distribution information.
Habitat
Long-eared Owls favor a combination of dense cover and nearby open ground. Day roosts and nest sites are often in conifers, riparian groves, wooded ravines, shelterbelts, or compact stands of trees. Hunting occurs over grasslands, sagebrush, marsh edges, meadows, pastures, agricultural fields, and open woodland.
Habitat structure matters more than a single vegetation type: the owl generally needs secluded trees for cover and productive open areas where small mammals are accessible.
Behavior
This owl is primarily nocturnal, usually leaving its roost around dusk. During the day it sits close to a trunk or among dense branches, where its streaked plumage provides excellent camouflage. When disturbed, it may become tall and thin, raise its tufts, and partially close its eyes.
Outside the breeding season, Long-eared Owls may form communal roosts ranging from a few birds to larger gatherings. Such roosts are sensitive to repeated disturbance. Observers should remain well back and avoid flushing the birds.
Diet and Hunting
Small mammals dominate the diet, particularly voles, mice, and other locally abundant rodents. Shrews, young rats, small rabbits, and occasional birds may also be taken. Diet changes with region and prey availability.
Long-eared Owls hunt by flying low over open ground or by watching from a perch. Their sensitive hearing helps them locate prey in darkness and beneath light vegetation. Soft-edged flight feathers reduce sound during approach. Indigestible fur, feathers, teeth, and bones are later expelled as compact pellets, which can accumulate beneath established roosts.
Vocalizations
The male’s main breeding call is a deep, muffled hoo, repeated at intervals of several seconds. It is quieter and less forceful than the paired hoots of a Great Horned Owl. Females may produce higher, nasal, or whistled calls, especially near a nest, while young give persistent squeaky begging notes.
Courtship displays can include audible wing claps. Because Long-eared Owls are often silent away from breeding areas, lack of calling does not establish that they are absent.
Breeding and Nesting
Breeding commonly begins in late winter or spring, with timing influenced by latitude and prey conditions. Long-eared Owls usually appropriate an existing nest rather than build one. Old stick nests made by crows, ravens, magpies, or hawks are frequently used; squirrel dreys, tree cavities, cliffs, and ground sites are less common alternatives.
A clutch often contains four to six plain white eggs, though smaller or larger clutches occur. The female performs most incubation, generally for about four weeks, while the male supplies food. Nesting adults can be defensive but are easily disrupted by close observation, photography, or playback.
Young and Development
Owlets hatch covered in pale down and are dependent on the adults for warmth and food. As they grow, they develop a woolly gray-buff juvenile plumage and dark facial markings. Young often leave the nest before they can fly well, climbing onto nearby limbs in a stage known as branching.
Branchers may appear abandoned, but their parents usually continue feeding them after dark. Unless a young owl is injured or in immediate danger, it should not be moved.
Where to See
Search in winter near open, rodent-rich country containing dense stands of conifers, willow thickets, shelterbelts, or wooded river corridors. Pellets and whitewash beneath trees can indicate a roost, but these signs are not unique to Long-eared Owls.
The best approach is to observe the patient from a public road or an established trail. Scan shaded branches with binoculars rather than walking into cover. At dusk, watch field edges for a slim, long-winged owl flying low over the ground. Local birding groups may report sightings without publishing the exact locations of vulnerable roosts.
Similar Species
Great Horned Owl: Much bulkier, with a massive head, widely spaced tufts, and bold horizontal barring below. Its deep hoots are louder and often delivered in a recognizable series. A Long-eared Owl looks slimmer, with closer tufts and stronger vertical streaking.
Short-eared Owl: Similar in size and wing shape but usually found hunting over open country in daylight or near dusk. It has very short, often invisible tufts, yellow eyes, a paler face, and conspicuous dark patches near the wrists on the underwings. Long-eared Owls normally have orange eyes and use wooded cover for daytime roosting.
Eastern and Western Screech-Owls: Both can have ear tufts, but they are substantially smaller, more compact, and shorter-winged. Their vocalizations are trills or bouncing series rather than isolated low hoots.
Conservation
The Long-eared Owl is commonly classified as Least Concern globally, reflecting its very broad range. That status does not mean every population is secure. Regional declines and local disappearances have been associated with habitat loss, removal of shelterbelts and wooded patches, changing prey populations, vehicle collisions, and disturbance at nests or communal roosts.
Conserving dense tree cover beside open hunting habitat is especially valuable. Limiting rodenticide use also reduces the possibility of secondary poisoning when owls consume contaminated prey.
Field Identification Tips
- Judge structure first: Look for a narrow body, long wings, and tall, centrally positioned ear tufts.
- Check the eyes: Orange eyes support Long-eared Owl; yellow eyes suggest Short-eared Owl, though lighting can alter perceived color.
- Study the underside: Long vertical streaks combined with fine crossbars create a branched pattern.
- Consider habitat and time: A daytime owl coursing continuously over open grassland is more likely a Short-eared Owl. A bird emerging from dense trees after sunset better fits Long-eared Owl.
- Use voice cautiously: A distant single hoot can be easy to misjudge. Note its spacing, depth, and duration before identifying the caller.
- Protect roosts: If an owl becomes thin, erect, wide-eyed, or repeatedly shifts position, retreat quietly.
Interesting Facts
- The feather tufts may help with signaling or camouflage, but they do not contain the owl’s ears.
- Its asymmetrical ear openings assist in pinpointing sounds in darkness.
- Communal winter roosting is unusual among many North American owls and can make this otherwise secretive species locally detectable.
- Long-eared Owls sometimes breed in loose groups where food and old stick nests are plentiful.
- Pellet analysis allows biologists to study local prey without observing individual hunting events.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are Long-eared Owls common?
They are widespread but generally uncommon and unevenly distributed. Their nocturnal behavior and concealed roosts also make them easy to overlook.
Do Long-eared Owls really have long ears?
No. The visible “ears” are feather tufts. The functional ear openings are hidden on the sides of the head beneath the facial feathers.
Are Long-eared Owls active during the day?
They usually rest by day and hunt at night. A bird may fly in daylight if disturbed, during migration, or when food demands are high.
How can I distinguish one from a Great Horned Owl?
Look for a smaller, slimmer owl with narrowly spaced tufts, orange eyes, and strongly streaked underparts. Great Horned Owls are bulkier, broad-headed, and more heavily barred below.
Should owl calls be played to attract one?
Playback can disturb territorial or nesting birds and should be avoided around known roosts and breeding sites. Quiet listening from a respectful distance is the safer field practice.
