Short-eared Owl

grasslands · owls · hunters

Fake ear tufts. Short-eared owls have little tufts of feathers on their heads that look like mammal ears, but they're not real ears at all. These tufts are so small that you usually can't even see them unless the owl is feeling defensive and puffs them up.

Grassland specialist. Unlike many owls that hunt in forests, short-eared owls love wide-open spaces like grasslands and prairies where they can spot prey from far away. They're one of the most common owl species found in these open areas all around the world.

Member of Strigidae. Short-eared owls belong to a big family of owls called Strigidae, which includes almost all the owls you'd recognize. The genus Asio, which short-eared owls belong to, is special because all the owls in it have those distinctive ear-like feather tufts.

Daytime hunters. Short-eared owls are unusual because they hunt during the day as well as at night, which helps them find small animals like mice and voles in the grasslands. They fly low over the ground, listening carefully for movement in the grass.