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Asio otus
The Long-eared Owl is a medium sized owl, 31–40 cm (12–16 in) in length with an 86–100 cm (34–39 in) wingspan and a body mass of 178–435 g (6.3–15.3 oz). It has erect blackish ear-tufts, which are positioned in the center of the head. The ear-tufts are used to make the owl appear larger to other owls while perched. The female is larger in size and darker in coloration than the male. The Long-eared Owl’s brownish feathers are vertically streaked. Tarsus and toes are entirely feathered. Eye disks are also characteristic in this species. However, the eye disks of A. otus are darker in color or rusty-orange. This nocturnal species is perhaps most easily seen perched in a tree in its daytime roost, sometimes in small groups during the winter months.
ornamental trees planted at a hot springs, in an otherwise dry foothill region
Large roost of Long-eared Owls. There were at least 6 owls in this tree and others scattered among the other trees in this site.
Spotted on Feb 16, 2013
Submitted on Mar 1, 2013
8 Comments
Very Nice!
Oh Donna, congrats on a beautiful 1000 spotting! ...and for the record, I'm totally jealous too! ;)
Fantastic! Six owls together!...you are lucky!
Thanks Gordon, Christy & Maria. Good luck with the Short-eared Owls. I still haven't been able to photograph any of them. Maybe for #2000.
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing your fantastic spottings with us, Donna! Congratulations on 1000 spottings, and spotting six owls at once deserves a congratulations of its own! Terrific, Donna, and thank you again for sharing such magnificent spots!
How awesome; like Christy, I'm a bit jealous. I would so love to spot owls in the daytime but I've only done so once. And you saw six! So cool that you could capture them. And congratulations on your 1000!
I'm so jealous Donna!! How amazing to see so many in the same place!! I've never seen these in the wild! Great series!! I'll be taking a trip down to the San Luis Valley in 2 weeks with Emily Marino and there are supposed to be wintering Short-Eared Owls there...keeping my fingers crossed!!
Congrats on a thousand spottings!! That's quite a milestone. And no better way to celebrate it with a long-eared owl. Nice photo!! Congrats again!