Found across every continent except Antarctica and Australia, this adaptable raptor graces the grasslands, marshes, tundras, and coastal plains of the world with its silent, buoyant flight and piercing yellow eyes. With its heart-shaped face, mottled plumage, and characteristic short “ear” tufts that are barely visible unless it’s alarmed, the short-eared owl is both a master of camouflage and a symbol of wild, open spaces.
Unlike most owls that hide deep within forests, the short-eared owl prefers the wide, open country, where it glides low over fields and meadows, scanning for prey. Its flight is light and graceful, almost moth-like, with slow, elastic wingbeats that make it look as if it’s drifting on invisible waves of air. It’s one of the few owls that regularly hunts during the day, especially at dawn and dusk, when small mammals such as voles, mice, and shrews are most active. When prey is spotted, the owl hovers briefly before dropping silently to the ground, striking with deadly precision.
Its plumage is a mottled mix of brown, buff, and cream, perfectly blending with dry grasses and reeds. The “short ears” that give it its name are actually tiny tufts of feathers on top of its head, visible only when the owl feels threatened or alert. Its large, golden-yellow eyes are set in a pale, circular face disk that helps focus sound toward its ears, giving it pinpoint hearing.
Short-eared owls are both solitary and sociable, depending on the season. During breeding, they defend territories fiercely, with males performing spectacular sky-dance displays to impress females—diving, looping, and clapping their wings loudly in midair. They nest directly on the ground, often in a shallow scrape hidden among tall grass or heather.
Distribution
Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Argentina
Armenia
Austria
Azerbaijan
Bahrain
Bangladesh
Belarus
Belgium
Belize
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia And Herz.
Brazil
British Virgin Is.
Brunei
Bulgaria
Cameroon
Canada
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Chad
Chile
China
Colombia
Costa Rica
Croatia
Cuba
Cyprus
Czechia
Denmark
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
Eritrea
Estonia
Ethiopia
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
Finland
France
French Guiana
Georgia
Germany
Gibraltar
Greece
Greenland
Guam
Guatemala
Guinea
Guyana
Haiti
Hong Kong
Hungary
Iceland
India
Iran
Iraq
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Japan
Jordan
Kazakhstan
Kenya
Korea
Kuwait
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Liberia
Libya
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malaysia
Maldives
Mali
Malta
Marshall Islands
Mauritania
Mexico
Micronesia
Moldova
Mongolia
Montenegro
Morocco
Myanmar
Nepal
Netherlands
Niger
Nort. Mariana Is.
North Korea
North Macedonia
Norway
Oman
Pakistan
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Poland
Portugal
Puerto Rico
Qatar
Romania
Russia
Saint Pierre
Saudi Arabia
Senegal
Serbia
Singapore
Slovakia
Slovenia
South Georgia
Spain
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Svalbard
Sweden
Switzerland
Syria
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Thailand
Trinidad & Tobago
Tunisia
Turkmenistan
Turkey
UAE
US Minor Is.
US Virgin Islands
Uganda
Ukraine
United Kingdom
United States
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
Vietnam
YemenAnything we've missed?
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Terrestrial / Aquatic
Altricial / Precocial
Polygamous / Monogamous
Dimorphic (size) / Monomorphic
Active: Diurnal / Nocturnal
Social behavior: Solitary / Pack / Herd
Diet: Carnivore / Herbivore / Omnivore / Piscivorous / Insectivore
Migratory: Yes / No
Domesticated: Yes / No
Dangerous: Yes / No
