Long-Eared Owl

The long-eared owl is a species in the “true owl” family and a member of the eared owl subfamily. It is commonly known as the cat owl, lesser horned owl, or northern long-eared owl. This bird gets its name from the prominent ear-like feather tufts in the center of its head.

Their species epithet “otus” is derived from the Greek word ôtos, meaning “horned or eared owl”. In 1758, Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus first described this species as Strix otus in the tenth edition of Systema Naturae, a book he wrote that contains taxonomic classifications of plants and animals. Later, this species was placed under the genus Asio, established in 1760 by French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson.

The Long-eared owls have four subspecies, namely, A. o. canariensis, A. o. otus, A. o. tuftsi, and A. o. wilsonianus.

Description

Size: Length: 12-16 in (31-40 cm)

Weight: Females: 6.3 – 15.3 oz (180 – 435 g); Males: 5.6 – 11.6 oz (160 – 330 g)

Wingspan: Females: 39 in (1 m) Males: 37 in (96 cm)

Body and Coloration: 

The long-eared owls have lean bodies with large, rounded wings and long, thin legs with needle-sharp talons. Their heads are rather large, with small eyes and elongated beaks.

They have a buff facial disk, and the eyes are yellowish-orange to reddish-orange. The body coloration of these owls is generally ocher yellow to tawny with a brownish or grayish coat. The upper parts of their body have black and brown streaks with grey and white tones, and the undersides have a paler tone. Their dusky ear tufts have black strokes on them. Females are usually larger and darker than males. Their eyes and facial disk color may vary according to their subspecies and distribution. For example, owls inhabiting densely forested areas are darker, with blackish markings on their underside. At the same time, the ones dwelling in desert regions are lighter in color, with light-dusky makings all over them.

Range and Distribution

The long-eared owl is one of the world’s most widespread owls, found in Central and Eastern Asia, China, Europe, the Mediterranean region, North America, North Africa, and the Northern Indian subcontinent. Their distribution ranges across Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Cuba, Croatia, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Faroe Islands, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia, Myanmar, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Morocco, Netherlands, Nepal, North Korea, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria, Tajikistan, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, and the United Arab Emirates.

Habitat

The favored region of these owls for roosting is wooded areas, where they perch in dense foliage. However, for hunting, they usually prefer open grasslands and deciduous woodlands. These owls are also often found in shrublands. Long-eared owls sometimes nest in coniferous forests near open meadows. They are also found in tropical forests, tundra, taiga, temperate grasslands, and Mediterranean forests.

 According to a study done in Switzerland, they can have a home range of approximately 3.8 square miles.

Diet

Their diet consists of small rodents like common voles, deer mice, grey-tailed voles, kangaroo rats, meadow voles, and sometimes jumping mice and pocket gophers. They also eat insects, small birds, and snakes.

Behavior

• Highly secretive, these owls perch on trees during the daytime.
• The long-eared owl hunts almost exclusively at night. Occasionally, they also forage during dusk. However, the population living close to the Arctic has no choice but to be diurnal during summer since night may not occur during that season.
• They hunt close to the ground.
• This eared owl does not build its own nests. Instead, they occupy the nests that other birds of prey have abandoned.
• Partial migration is seen in these owls with the same migratory routes. Also, they use the same wintering sites every year.
• Sometimes, their migratory pattern can get a bit unpredictable. This behavior is described as “nomadic”.
• In winter, these owls perch in communities of up to 100 birds. Sometimes short-eared owls can be seen mixed in these groups as well.
• These owls are not very territorial like other owl species.
• Similar to short-eared owls, they also feign injuries or death to protect their nests and owlets.
• Usually quiet, the long-eared owls can only be heard calling during the breeding season.
• The females have a high-pitched shriek, and the males let out several hoots in a harmonic rhythm. They make various sounds, including barks, coos, whistles, and cries. Hungry owlets give screeching screams.
• The males’ songs start with low-pitched hoots, followed by repeatedly whooping, only pausing in between for a few seconds. This song has a frequency of approximately 400 hertz and can reach up to 0.62 to 1.24 miles away.

Lifespan

The long-eared owl has an average lifespan of 11 years, with a range of 10-30 years.

Adaptations

• Their slim bodies, color patterns, and feather tufts give them excellent camouflage.
• Fringed feather edges and downy surfaces make their flight soundless.
• Like other owls, the long-eared owl’s body can also adjust to flying silently with precision. This is an advantage for hunting, especially at night.
• The asymmetrical ear openings help them hear the slightest sound their prey makes.

Mating and Reproduction

These birds are mostly monogamous, with a vast breeding range. During the courtship period, the males put on flight displays accompanied by songs that consist of hootings. Their performance sometimes lasts from dusk till dawn. Their breeding starts in late February and continues through July. 

The female usually lays 5-6 eggs and starts incubation with the first egg. Incubation lasts for 25 – 30 days. 21 days after hatching, the owlets leave their nest but are still unable to fly. At 35 days old, they start fledging. Finally, after 10 – 11 weeks, they become full adults and can fend for themselves.

Predators

Many other birds of prey hunt the long-eared owls. Their predators include barred owls, common buzzards, eagle owls, golden eagles, great-horned owls, northern goshawks, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, and red-shouldered hawks.

Animals like black-billed magpies, bull snakes, crows, hawks, and porcupines often take the owlets from their nests.

Conservation Status

According to the IUCN, long-eared owls are listed as “Least Concern” or “LC”. However, due to habitat loss and getting hit by cars, their population is declining. Previously noted as abundant, these owls became rare in early 20th century North America due to shooting by hunters. This owl is listed as threatened and even endangered in many states of the US, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Interesting Facts

• Long-eared owls are able to move their ear tufts.
• The oldest owl of this species is known to have lived for 27 years and 9 months in the wild.
• A male’s hoot can reach a distance of one kilometer.
• Compared to great-horned owls, the long-eared owls are much smaller, with ear tufts standing straight and close to each other. While the ear tufts on great-horned owls face outwards with wide space between them.