Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
A daytime-hunting owl with piercing yellow eyes and short, “ear-like” tufts that are often not visible unless the bird is alert. Its mottled brown plumage helps camouflage it among rough grass. In autumn or winter, Short-eared Owls sometimes appear on coastal farmland or marshy areas around the Bailiwick, and might be spotted quartering open ground in search of rodents.
- Habitat: Open country—marshes, moorland, rough grassland, and dunes; can turn up on coastal headlands.
- When to See: Often a winter visitor or passage migrant; can appear late autumn to early spring.
- Diet / Food: Small mammals (voles, mice), occasionally birds and large insects.
- Length: 34–42 cm
- Weight: 250–400 g
- Wingspan: 95–110 cm