Short-eared owl

Short-eared owl
Sumeet Moghe · CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Name	Short-eared owl
Status	LC
Status system	IUCN3.1
Genus	Asio
Species	flammeus
Authority	(Pontoppidan, 1763)

Short-eared owl The short-eared owl is a widespread, medium-sized owl species found across multiple continents, notable for its diurnal hunting, nomadic movements, and open-habitat preferences. Its broad distribution links it to numerous conservation programs and research initiatives across regions including North America, Eurasia, and parts of Africa and South America, and it features in studies by organizations such as the IUCN and BirdLife International. Naturalists and ornithologists from institutions like the Royal Society and universities such as Harvard University and University of Cambridge have contributed to its modern understanding.

Taxonomy and systematics

Taxonomically placed in the genus Asio, the species was described in the 18th century by the naturalist Erik Pontoppidan and later reviewed by taxonomists affiliated with institutions including the Linnean Society of London and the Smithsonian Institution. Historical classification work involved correspondence among figures linked to the Zoological Society of London and field collections associated with expeditions sponsored by entities like the British Museum (Natural History) and the American Museum of Natural History. Molecular phylogenetic studies performed in laboratories at universities such as University of Oxford and University of California, Berkeley have clarified relationships among Asio species and informed revisions adopted by committees including the American Ornithological Society and the European Union for Bird Ringing.

Description and identification

Adults exhibit mottled brown and buff plumage with streaking; field guides issued by publishers linked to organizations such as the National Audubon Society, RSPB, and Cornell Lab of Ornithology describe key features used by birders to distinguish this species from other raptors and owls. The facial disc, yellow eyes, and short ear tufts are diagnostic when compared in comparative plates created by artists associated with the Macmillan Publishers and the Princeton University Press. Measurements and morphometrics reported in studies from the Canadian Wildlife Service and the United States Geological Survey aid identification across sexes and age classes, which are often referenced in regional checklists produced by bodies like the Royal Ontario Museum and the British Trust for Ornithology.

Distribution and habitat

The species breeds in open habitats across regions including the Great Plains (North America), the Patagonian Steppe, the Eurasian Steppe, and parts of the African Sahel, with migratory connections mapped by programs such as the Christmas Bird Count and ringing schemes coordinated by the European Bird Census Council. Habitats documented in ecological surveys by agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the Environment Agency (England) include grasslands, marshes, tundra, and agricultural landscapes defined in regional plans from authorities like the Ministry of Environment (Japan) and the Queensland Government. Long-distance movements have been analyzed in studies published through collaborations among universities including McGill University and University of Copenhagen and NGOs such as BirdLife International.

Behavior and ecology

Primarily crepuscular and sometimes diurnal, the species hunts over open ground using flight techniques discussed in behavioral research by scholars affiliated with University of Oxford, Stanford University, and the Max Planck Society. Diet studies conducted by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and the US Geological Survey emphasize small mammals such as voles, which are central to population dynamics analyzed in demographic models used by conservation groups including the Nature Conservancy and the Wildlife Conservation Society. Interaction with predators and competitors has been documented in fieldwork involving collaborators from institutions like the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and its role in ecosystem studies appears in publications associated with the Journal of Applied Ecology and the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

Breeding and life cycle

Breeding is often influenced by prey abundance cycles, a phenomenon recorded in long-term studies by organizations such as the Canadian Wildlife Service, National Audubon Society, and the British Trust for Ornithology. Nests are ground scrapes located in territories monitored during surveys coordinated by agencies like the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the European Bird Census Council. Life-history data including clutch size, fledging intervals, and juvenile dispersal have been integrated into species assessments by the IUCN and management plans drafted with input from academic partners at University of Minnesota and University of British Columbia.

Conservation and threats

Conservation status assessments by IUCN and regional red lists maintained by governments such as those of Canada, United Kingdom, and Argentina and institutions like the European Commission reflect declines in some populations driven by habitat loss, agricultural intensification, and human disturbance documented in reports from the Food and Agriculture Organization and environmental impact assessments filed with authorities like the United States Environmental Protection Agency. Conservation actions promoted by NGOs including BirdLife International, RSPB, and the Nature Conservancy involve habitat restoration projects often funded through programs administered by the European Union and national ministries such as the United States Department of Agriculture. Adaptive management strategies informed by monitoring from citizen science initiatives like eBird and coordinated ringing by the British Trust for Ornithology aim to mitigate threats including pesticide exposure and collision risk with infrastructure overseen by agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration and the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Category:Asio Category:Owls