Facts, Information, Scientific Name of Long-Eared Owl
Let us learn about the owl with large functional ears.
Common Name- Long-Eared Owl/ Northern long-eared owl, Lesser horned owl, Cat owl.
Common name- Long-eared owl.
Scientific name- Asio otus
Asio– Eared owl, Otus- Small
Size – 31 cm- 40 cm
Habitat and Distribution
In the habitats like open spaces vegetation, woodlands with great prey density, pasture land, orchards, village towns, and gardens of countries in Europe, North America, Asia, etc Long eared owl exists.
How can one identify a long Eared owl?
Long Eared owls have erect long ears with yellow eyes. The bill is black.
The body is of Tawny and grey-brownish colour with black streaks on the belly.
The legs are of orangish-red colour.
Use of long Ears for Hunting.
Long-Eared Owl hunts at night.
These owls focus on the edge of the area like grasslands or vegetation and the sensitive, long ears get notified when there is even small movement of small prey.
Long-eared owl feed on mammals, and frogs, and can hunt Fish, reptiles, rodents, as well as small birds.
Breeding and Courtship.
Breeding season is from October to January.
The male Long-eared owl is polygamous, which means the male can mate with more than 1 female in a single breeding season.
The male is territorial and calls out the female followed by Bowing and presentation of the chosen site for nesting.
The nesting sites are Rocks, Boulders, cliffs or any crevices, etc.
The female lays single or multiple eggs and incubates for 31-36 days.
Meanwhile, the male hunts and provides the food.
The chicks open their eyes on 4th day and eventually fledge from the nest.
Also See ⇒ Kingfisher Facts