Long-Eared Owl

Asio otus

Family:

Owls

Length:

35cm to 37cm

Wingspan:

84cm to 95cm

Weight:

210g to 370g

About the Long-Eared Owl

The long-eared owl is a medium-sized member of the owl family, just slightly smaller in size than a woodpigeon. Often they appear as long and thin with feathers that stick out of their heads that are raised when alarmed. These are known as ear tufts but are in fact not actual ears. They have deep orange eyes, buffed-brown bodies with streaks that are a darker brown.

When it comes to breeding in the UK, this owl breeds very thinly across the country. Birds from the north will migrate to the south - this includes birds from Europe spending time in the winter here in the UK. Southern birds are generally residents and won't move far to find food.

What does a Long-Eared Owl eat?

Their diets mainly consist of small rodents, but in the winter they will eat small birds.

Expert Q + A

Ask a question

Do you have a question about this topic that we haven't answered? Submit it below, and one of our experts will answer as soon as they can.

Articles featuring the Long-Eared Owl

Identification

Owls in the UK (Full Guide with Pictures)

Identification

Birds of Prey in the UK (Complete Guide)

Facts

Where Do Owls Nest?

Facts

Baby Owls: All You Need To Know (with Pictures)

Facts

What is a Group of Owls Called? (Complete Guide)

Other birds in the Owls family

Scops Owl

The Eurasian Scops Owl is one of the smaller members of the Strigidae family of owls being smaller even than the Little Owl. It is one of the few European owls that leaves its breeding grounds and migrates south during the winter.

Tawny Owl

The Tawny Owl is a carnivorous night hunter common throughout Europe and western Asia with pockets found within the Middle East and the Indian sub-continent. It shouldn’t be confused with the Tawny Fish-owl of East Asia, the Tawny-bellied Screech owl of South America nor the Tawny-browed owl found on the eastern side of South America. The tawny owl is also occasionally referred to as the Brown Owl.

Short-Eared Owl

Unlike most owls, this medium sized bird is often seen hunting during daylight hours, mainly around dawn and dusk and particularly across farmland and in grassland, marsh and moorland areas.