# Long-eared Owl (*Asio otus*) The Long-eared Owl has long tufts of feathers on its head that look like ears! This owl is very good at hiding in trees during the day. - **Category:** [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/bird) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 7 - **Habitat:** Woodlands and parks - **Also known as:** Eurasian Long-eared Owl ![Long-eared Owl](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425974/objects/4608.jpg) ## Appearance The Long-eared Owl has prominent, dark ear tufts that resemble ears but are just feathers. Its slender body is covered in streaky brown and gray-buff plumage. It features piercing orange-yellow eyes set in a pale facial disc, making it distinct. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Aves - **Order:** Strigiformes - **Family:** Strigidae - **Genus:** Asio ## Interesting facts - Baby Long-eared Owls hiss like snakes to scare away intruders from their nest. - Their 'ears' are just feathers; their real ears are hidden under them! - These owls can spin their heads almost all the way around to spot prey! - They often use old nests built by other birds, especially crows or magpies. ## Special abilities - **Super Hearing:** Long-eared Owls have asymmetrical ear openings that help them pinpoint prey sounds in total darkness. - **Silent Hunter:** Long-eared Owls have specialized feathers with serrated edges that help them fly almost silently. - **Mimic Master:** Long-eared Owls can stretch their bodies thin and sway to look like a broken branch, confusing predators. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 31-40 cm - **Wingspan:** 90-100 cm - **Weight:** 0.22-0.37 kg - **Lifespan:** 4-8 years - **Speed:** 45 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 3-10 - **Incubation:** 25-30 days - **Migration Distance:** 1000 km ## Diet & Feeding They primarily hunt small mammals like voles and mice with amazing precision. - **Primary Foods:** Voles, Mice, Shrews, Small Birds, Bats - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Meadow Vole (*Microtus pennsylvanicus*) — Primary food source in many habitats. - **Hunts:** [Deer Mouse](https://www.snappit.app/explore/deer-mouse) (*Peromyscus maniculatus*) — Another key prey, especially in woodland areas. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Can sometimes prey on juvenile Long-eared Owls. - **Shelter:** [American Crow](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-crow) (*Corvus brachyrhynchos*) — Often uses abandoned nests of crows for breeding. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Feathered](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/feathered): Feathered describes animals, primarily birds, possessing a covering of feathers. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Birds](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/birds) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Long-eared Owl? Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Long-eared Owl? 31-40 cm ### What is Long-eared Owl's wingspan? 90-100 cm ### How much does Long-eared Owl weigh? 0.22-0.37 kg ### How long does Long-eared Owl live? 4-8 years ### How fast can Long-eared Owl move? 45 km/h ### What does Long-eared Owl eat? They primarily hunt small mammals like voles and mice with amazing precision. ### Where is Long-eared Owl usually found? Woodlands and parks ## Where to spot - [Clayton Public Schools Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/clayton-public-schools-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Zoo de la Palmyre](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-de-la-palmyre) — Nouvelle-Aquitaine, FR · Zoo - [Tiergarten Schönbrunn](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tiergarten-sch-nbrunn) — Vienna, AT · Zoo - [Zoo am Meer](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/zoo-am-meer) — Bremen, DE · Zoo - [Lesní koutek Ralsko - Mini ZOO](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/lesn-koutek-ralsko-mini-zoo) — Liberec Region, CZ · Zoo - [Canarsie Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/canarsie-park) — New York, US · Park [View all places to see Long-eared Owl](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/long-eared-owl) ## More Birds - [Black-crowned Night Heron](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-crowned-night-heron) (*Nycticorax nycticorax*) - [Anna's Hummingbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/annas-hummingbird) (*Calypte anna*) - [Great Egret](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-egret) (*Ardea alba*) - [Blue Jay](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-jay) (*Cyanocitta cristata*) --- Source: [Long-eared Owl: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/long-eared-owl)