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Short-eared Owl · Field Guide · Things With Wings

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Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

Not yet photographed by the community

Day-hunting moorland owl with bouncing flight.

Species Profile

Amber List (Birds of Conservation Concern)

Lifespan: 12–15 years in the wild, though average typically 5–8 years
Size & Weight: 37–39 cm, wingspan 95–110 cm; 330–450 g
Habitat: Open moorland, grassland, wetlands, and rough ground with low vegetation, favouring areas with good vole populations.
UK Distribution: Found throughout the UK, but more numerous in northern England, Scotland, and Wales. Winter visitor populations increase in autumn and spring; some resident breeding pairs remain year-round.
Diet: Primarily small mammals, especially field voles and bank voles, supplemented with shrews, mice, and occasionally small birds.
Prey: Field voles, bank voles, common shrews, wood mice, house mice, occasionally young rabbits and small passerines
Predators: Golden eagles, white-tailed eagles, peregrine falcons, and rarely foxes and corvids targeting eggs or chicks
Mating Season: March to August
Breeding: Clutch of 4–8 eggs (average 5–6), incubation period 24–29 days, fledging at 35–42 days. Single brood per year, occasionally two in good vole years.

Sources and editorial status

The short identification summary comes from the Things With Wings species catalogue. The extended species profile is AI-assisted and has not been individually reviewed by a wildlife expert, so verify important identification or conservation details with the specialist sources below.

Profile generated 22 June 2026

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