Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources Owls of Ohio - Ohio Department of Natural Resources
giving the impression of a giant moth. The common name is accurate; thevery short ear tufts are hard to see, and an observer will only notice them ona clearly seen perched owl.Northern harriers, which frequent the same habitats, can look similar whenperched on the ground with only the head and upper body visible. These hawkshave facial discs similar to owls, but their heads appear smaller, they lack darkeye patches and ear tufts, and do not have pale V-shaped “eyebrows.”Long-eared owls, the strictly nocturnal counterpart to the short-ear, look verysimilar in flight and when flushed are sometimes misidentified as this species. Theupper wings of long-eareds are grayer, the buff-colored patch near the end of thewings is less prominent, and they are more heavily streaked below.O h i o S tat u s short-eared owlOccurs primarily as a migrant and winter visitor. Often actively migrates duringthe day, and birds can appear nearly anywhere, even in urban sites. Winter numbersvary greatly from year to year and site to site, depending on food availability. Shortearedowls are very opportunistic and they can concentrate in large groups at localesexperiencing peak small mammal populations. In 1999, at least 80 were present atthe Wilds, a large reclaimed surface-mined area in Muskingum County. The nextyear, only a few were there. This type of annual fluctuation is very typical in Ohio.Breeding short-ears have never been common in Ohio; our state is at the extremesouthern periphery of their range. Most nesting records probably coincide withspikes in small mammal populations. However, documented nestings are very rare,and some summering individuals are probably unmated non-breeders.Hab itat short-eared owlStrictly open habitats; short-eared owls even roost on the ground in fields,only rarely choosing conifer groves for roosting. They prefer large fields,grasslands, marshes, and sometimes the grassy areas of airports. In recentyears, an increasing number of owls are being found in the massive tracts ofopen grassland resulting from reclamation of former coal surface mines insoutheastern Ohio. There have been several breeding records in these sites,and in general, the numbers of wintering owls seems to be increasing.Day old short-eared owls in nest.Good short-eared owl habitat; massivereclaimed surface mine grasslands. Thisarea, at the Wilds, sometimes supports largenumbers of wintering owls, and severalpairs have also nested here.Photo by: ©E.T. Jones / VIREOPhoto by: ODNR Division of Wildlife / Jim McCormac
C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 41Hab its short-eared owlShort-eared owls are partly diurnal, or active in the daytime, whichsets them apart behaviorally from most owls. Sometimes they can beobserved actively hunting on bright, sunny days, but more often theyare crepuscular, meaning that they are most active during twilighthours.When actively hunting, short-ears fly at low to moderate heights,watching for prey on the ground. Sometimes they will also hunt fromlow perches, such as fence posts or the tips of small trees. When preyis spotted the owl dives towards it, sometimes after hovering briefly.Resting short-ears normally perch on the ground within densegrass, and sometimes large numbers roost within a small area. Thepeak of activity normally begins in the half-hour prior to sunset, andthis is the best time to watch for them.Hunting owls can be territorial and prone to skirmishing withother short-eared owls or raptors that intrude on their space.Owls that are aggressively confronting other birds will dive at theintruder, and pull their feet up and forward to reveal the talons.Often, they will deliver loud barking calls.Occasionally, their peculiar aerial courtship displays are seenin late winter or spring. Sometimes referred to as “sky dancing,”the males use this display to impress prospective mates. Thesespectacular shows involve the male owl ascending skyward by flyingin tight circles, sometimes to a height of several hundred feet. At theapex, he will hang in one spot by fluttering his wings, while deliveringa series of deep piping hoots. After that, the bird drops into a steepdive, rapidly “clapping” its wings together creating a rapid flutteringsound. The claps are made by the owl rapidly smacking the tips of itswings together under its body. After several rounds of this, the maleslipslides earthward with rocking side to side movements. Sometimesthe female will then chase him, and occasionally they engage by lockingtalons. This is one of the most fantastic courtship displays of any NorthAmerican bird.Short-eared owls are distinctive in flight due to theirdeep wingbeats and moth-like flight, and the blackpatch at the bend and tip of the wings.When perched on the ground, short-eared owls blendwell with the grasses and can be quite hard to spot.Photo by: ©Gary Meszaros Photo by: ©G. McElroy / VIREO
- Page 1 and 2: OWLS OF OHIO c d g u i d e b o o kD
- Page 3 and 4: OWLS OF OHIO OWLS OF OHIO OWLS OF O
- Page 5 and 6: with both eyes simultaneously. Anot
- Page 7 and 8: M o d i fi ed Fe ath er s owl morph
- Page 9 and 10: Pelle t s an d W h ite wa s h findi
- Page 11 and 12: Ab o u t this Bookle t and CD owls
- Page 13 and 14: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 13O
- Page 15 and 16: y people placing nest boxes in barn
- Page 17 and 18: BTRACKS7-12arred owlStrix varia (St
- Page 19 and 20: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 19D
- Page 21 and 22: Eastern screech-owlMegascops asio (
- Page 23 and 24: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 23N
- Page 25 and 26: Great horned owlBubo virginianus (B
- Page 27 and 28: Normally solitary except during the
- Page 29 and 30: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 29T
- Page 31 and 32: O h i o S tat u s l o ng - e a re d
- Page 33 and 34: N e s ting long - e a re d o w lLon
- Page 35 and 36: Northern saw-whet owlAegolius acadi
- Page 37 and 38: likely. When one is found, a very c
- Page 39: Short-eared owlAsio flammeus (Ay-se
- Page 43 and 44: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 43i
- Page 45 and 46: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 45O
- Page 47 and 48: C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 47
- Page 49 and 50: Like the Northern hawk owl and grea
- Page 51 and 52: This is one of North America’s mo
- Page 53 and 54: This is the smallest owl in the wor
- Page 55 and 56: This small owl has a broad but spot
- Page 57 and 58: This species has become a symbol of
- Page 59 and 60: O T H E R N O R T H A M E R I C A N
- Page 61 and 62: Publication FundingFunding for this
- Page 63 and 64: A ppa l achi a n Fron tAu du bon So
C O M M O N O W L S O F O H I O 41Hab its short-eared owlShort-eared owls are partly diurnal, or active in the daytime, whichsets them apart behaviorally from most owls. Sometimes they can beobserved actively hunting on bright, sunny days, but more <strong>of</strong>ten theyare crepuscular, meaning that they are most active during twilighthours.When actively hunting, short-ears fly at low to moderate heights,watching for prey on the ground. Sometimes they will also hunt fromlow perches, such as fence posts or the tips <strong>of</strong> small trees. When preyis spotted the owl dives towards it, sometimes after hovering briefly.Resting short-ears normally perch on the ground within densegrass, and sometimes large numbers roost within a small area. Thepeak <strong>of</strong> activity normally begins in the half-hour prior to sunset, andthis is the best time to watch for them.Hunting owls can be territorial and prone to skirmishing withother short-eared owls or raptors that intrude on their space.<strong>Owls</strong> that are aggressively confronting other birds will dive at theintruder, and pull their feet up and forward to reveal the talons.Often, they will deliver loud barking calls.Occasionally, their peculiar aerial courtship displays are seenin late winter or spring. Sometimes referred to as “sky dancing,”the males use this display to impress prospective mates. Thesespectacular shows involve the male owl ascending skyward by flyingin tight circles, sometimes to a height <strong>of</strong> several hundred feet. At theapex, he will hang in one spot by fluttering his wings, while deliveringa series <strong>of</strong> deep piping hoots. After that, the bird drops into a steepdive, rapidly “clapping” its wings together creating a rapid flutteringsound. The claps are made by the owl rapidly smacking the tips <strong>of</strong> itswings together under its body. After several rounds <strong>of</strong> this, the maleslipslides earthward with rocking side to side movements. Sometimesthe female will then chase him, and occasionally they engage by lockingtalons. This is one <strong>of</strong> the most fantastic courtship displays <strong>of</strong> any NorthAmerican bird.Short-eared owls are distinctive in flight due to theirdeep wingbeats and moth-like flight, and the blackpatch at the bend and tip <strong>of</strong> the wings.When perched on the ground, short-eared owls blendwell with the grasses and can be quite hard to spot.Photo by: ©Gary Meszaros Photo by: ©G. McElroy / VIREO
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