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Montana Animal Field Guide

Montana Field Guides

Long-eared Owl - Asio otus

  • Long-eared Owl, In Winter
  • Long-eared Owl
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Global Rank: G5
State Rank: S5

Agency Status
USFWS: none
USFS: none
BLM: none
CFWCS Tier: 3
PIF: none
 

General Description
Tufts appear to sit on the middle of the head above the eyes. Eyes yellow, bill black, and throat dark. Facial disk circular and rusty/brown; color intensity varies. Chest and belly are mixed with horizontal and vertical markings. Ventrally, mottled brown. Dorsally, the back is mottled with mixtures of brown. SIZE: 13 to 16 inches. WEIGHT: eight to 10 ounces. VOICE: A soft, "Hoo, hoo, hoo¿," varying in number and given at two to three-second intervals.

Diagnostic Characteristics
Great horned owl is much larger, tufts set wider on the head, and the throat is white.

General Distribution
Montana Range



Western Hemisphere Range

 


Summary of Observations Submitted for Montana
Number of Observations: 271

(Click on the following maps and charts to see full sized version) Map Help and Descriptions
Relative Density

Recency

Breeding
(direct evidence "B")

Breeding
(indirect evidence "b")

No evidence of Breeding
(transient "t")

Overwintering
(regular observations "W")

Overwintering
(at least one obs. "w")


 

(Records associated with a range of dates are excluded from time charts)



Migration
Migratory in northern latitudes, although some owls may stay throughout the winter.

Habitat
Long-eared owls are most often observed in hedgerows, woody draws, and juniper thickets, although they do occur within the forest edge. They are predominantly open-country hunters; however, they are seldom seen because of their nocturnal habits.

Food Habits
Depends heavily on small rodents.

Reproductive Characteristics
Begins nesting in March or April; nests in a stick nest built by other raptors, magpies, crows, or ravens. Clutch size three to six. Incubation about 26 days. Young fledge at 30 to 40 days (FWP). Nests from late April into June. Young just out of nest as late as July.

Citations & Sources
  • Holt, D. and Becker, D. 1990. Indentification of Montana's Owls. Montana Outdoors. March/April 1990.
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Citation for data on this website:
Long-eared Owl — Asio otus.  Montana Field Guide.  Retrieved on February 9, 2010, from http://FieldGuide.mt.gov/detail_ABNSB13010.aspx
 
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