Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus (Pontoppidan, 1763)

2013-06-01 Bagan, Novosibirskaya Oblast.	©

Description

Background color of adult Short-eared Owls is very variable from pale-buff or almost white to rusty-yellow. Males usually are paler than females; young in first autumn plumage and adults in fresh plumage are darker than in outworn one. Head is with broad brownish core-streaks above. Mantle is buffy with dark broad core-streaks; outer webs of some feathers are with pale edges and with conjugate pale spots, sometimes joined to pale cross-strips. Outer webs of shoulders feathers and upperwing coverts are with white spots. There is not marble pattern as on Long-eared Owl. Primaries are rusty-buff with irregular cross-streaks and spots. Outer web of first primary is with three dark spots in male; and with six dark spots in female. Tail feathers are quit bright rusty-buff with six cross-bands 8-10 and more mm in width. Facial disc is pale with dark broad ring over eyes. Underparts are paler than mantle; and are yellowish-buff in females, males underparts are often white or slightly yellowish; with broad dark-brownish longitudinal streaks on breast and narrow on belly. Tarsus and toes feathered up to claws are pale-buff without streaks. Eyes are yellow, bill and claws are black. Young birds are dark-brownish above with buffy edges in tips. Breast is brownish, belly rusty without cross-mottles, facial disc is black-and-white. Sizes: males wing 290-312, tail 130-141, tarsus 38-41 mm, bill 14 мм; females wing 306-315, tail 132-150, tarsus 39-43, bill 14 mm. Weight 300-324 gr.

Biology

Short-eared Owl is common breeding migrant, in some places it is rare resident. Short-eared Owl inhabits open landscapes; plain or hilly steppes with rare bushes, river meadows, fallow lands, and rare shrubby patches or edges of riparian forests. In spring Short-eared Owl appears in early March - April, when the lands are already mostly free from snow. It breeds in separate pairs, in years with a much numbers of field-vole Short-eared Owls nest at distance 2-3 km one nest from another. Nest is built in shallow hole under bush or grass usually; and lined with dry grass. Clutches of 4-11 eggs founded in early April - May. Female alone incubates for 24-29 days beginning from first egg; this time male feed it. Both parents care for brood. Juveniles fledge in mid-July. Autumn migration begins in August, Short-eared Owl leaves northern areas until mid-October; and southern ones up to mid-November.

References

В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Сибири". Москва-Екатеринбург, Изд-во "Кабинетный ученый", 2014.