Birds and wildlife

Long-eared Owl

Asio otusGroup: OwlsUK Conservation status:Green

How to identify

The Long-eared Owl is a medium-sized owl, smaller than a Woodpigeon. It often looks long and thin, with head feathers (known as ear tufts, even though they are not ears) which it raises when alarmed. It is light brown with darker brown streaks and deep orange eyes. It breeds widely across the UK with fewer birds in the southwest and Wales. Northern birds migrate southwards, including birds from Europe coming to spend the winter in the UK, while southern birds are residents and only move distances to find food.

Call

Long-eared Owl

Ante Strand / xeno-canto

Key

  1. Resident
  2. Passage
  3. Summer
  4. Winter
* This map is intended as a guide. It shows general distribution rather than detailed, localised populations.
  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

Key facts