Short-eared owl
- The Short-eared Owl makes second clutches in years of mouse abundance, even in late autumn and winter. Under such conditions, the number of eggs in a clutch may increase to 7 and even 10.
- The Short-eared Owl builds its nest on the ground, unlike most other owls. The number of eggs in a clutch varies greatly depending on food conditions.
Age
The eastern screech-owl’s typical lifespan ranges from fifteen years, seven months to twenty-five years, eleven months, with a maximum recorded lifespan of twenty years, nine months, and a theoretical lifespan between fifteen years, five months and nineteen years, ten months. Sexual maturity is reached at ages ranging from nine months and one week to one year and three months. The "Embryo" stage involves the developing embryo inside an egg, followed by the "Nestling" stage where the young are in a nest and fed by their parents for a period lasting from two weeks to one month and one week. The “Young after Rapid Growth” stage sees the young learning to fly and hunt, a process that lasts from one month and one week to one year. The "Adult" stage, during which the species can reproduce, extends from one to eleven years.
Phenotype
Down is soft and covers the body of the young. The young experience rapid growth, and their feathers are striped for camouflage. An adult has a short and sharp beak for tearing prey, as well as short tufts of feathers on its head. The species possesses large yellow eyes that provide good vision both day and night. Brown feathers with dark stripes help adults to conceal themselves in grass. Strong claws allow adults to capture rodents, and they have long wings that enable silent and low flight over the ground.
Physiology
The short-eared owl’s body height ranges from 12 centimeters to 3.6 meters, and its body length varies from 34 to 43 centimeters; the species’ mass is between 289 and 408 grams, with a wingspan of 1.02 meters. During the "Embryo" stage, the young have a body mass of 18 to 25 grams and a body length of 3.8 to 4.5 centimeters. The “Nestling” stage is characterized by a body mass from 20 to 250 grams and a body length from 10 to 25 centimeters. Following rapid growth, the young have a body mass between 200 and 350 grams and a body length of 30 to 40 centimeters. Adult individuals weigh from 200 to 350 grams and measure 34 to 40 centimeters in length.
Habitat
The short-eared owl occupies elevations up to 2 kilometers above sea level and inhabits several biomes including temperate mixed forests with warm summers and abundant oak, birch, and maple trees, flooded meadows where water frequently covers the ground and vegetation is plentiful, taiga characterized by cold winters and coniferous trees such as spruce and pine, and tundra featuring very cold temperatures, short summers, sparse tree cover, and extensive moss. The species’ landscape preferences include terrestrial environments, woodland, and shrubland; it thrives in climates with cool summers averaging between 15 and 20 degrees Celsius, consistently high humidity and frequent rainfall, snowy winters, and the conditions of the tundra, which are very cold with short summers and abundant moss.
Shelter
The short-eared owl is found on the ground among tall grass. The species builds or uses nests for laying eggs and raising young. Nests are constructed from grass and feathers.
Geography
The short-eared owl occupies the biogeographical realms of Nearctica and Palearctica. The species is found in Celtic broadleaf forests, Baltic mixed forests, European Atlantic mixed forests, Sarmatian mixed forests, Ural mountain forests and taiga, and Scandinavian-Russian taiga.
Feeding
The Marsh Owl feeds mainly on small rodents such as voles, mice and shrews, as well as small birds, insects and small mammals. The species hunts with a low flight over the ground, during which it listens for sounds and seizes prey with its claws. The feeding strategy includes active hunting and ambush, and a rat may serve as prey. Daily food requirements range from 50 g to 100 g.
Reproduction
Embryonic development is 4 weeks 1 day. Clutch size is 4–8. Maturity occurs from 10 months to 1 year 1 month. Litter size is 4–8. The female lays eggs in a depression on the ground. She incubates the clutch, while the male brings food. Both parents care for the chicks. The breeding interval is 1 year.