Long-eared Owl

Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) is in the Typical Owls family (Strigidae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 3,290 research-grade observations of it in our sample, peaking in January.

Seasonal pattern in the national data: seasonal. Counts also reflect when people are out photographing, so compare months within a state rather than across states.

When to photograph Long-eared Owl: observations by month (U.S.)

About Long-eared Owl

The long-eared owl (Asio otus), also known as the northern long-eared owl, is a species of owl which breeds in Europe, Asia, and North America. This species is a part of the larger grouping of owls known as typical owls, family Strigidae, which contains most species of owl. The other grouping of owls are the barn owls, family Tytonidae.From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.

Long-eared Owl by state

Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.

Related birds (Typical Owls)

Great Horned OwlBubo virginianus

Barred OwlStrix varia

Eastern Screech-OwlMegascops asio

Burrowing OwlAthene cunicularia

Western Screech-OwlMegascops kennicottii

Short-eared OwlAsio flammeus

Snowy OwlBubo scandiacus

Northern Saw-whet OwlAegolius acadicus

Photography tips

• Use a fast shutter (1/2000 s or faster) for birds in flight.
• Focus on the eye and shoot at the bird's eye level.
• Approach slowly and stop if the bird changes behavior; never bait or flush birds.
• Morning activity peaks in the first two hours after sunrise.

FAQ