Long-eared owl

The Long-eared owl nests in the southern portion of Norway and refrains from migrating if it resides in the Oslo Fjord area.

All three owl species are widespread and common. However, despite their ubiquity, they can be challenging to observe. While all three species engage in diurnal hunting, the Short-eared owl and Long-eared owl are most active during sunrise and sunset. The Northern hawk-owl and Short-eared owl have yellow eyes, whereas the Long-eared owl has orange eyes.

In the region of Southern Norway, my observations of the Long-eared owl have been confined to the vicinity of my residence. As the young owls leave their nests, they congregate in the trees at sunset, where they actively seek sustenance. This behavior presents an opportune moment for observing them. I dedicated five evenings to patiently awaiting their presence, and during two of those evenings, I was fortunate enough to witness them engaged in the pursuit of prey. Notably, both instances were characterized by favorable lighting conditions, resulting in sharp and close-up photographs.

Feeding

All three owl species (Long-eared owl, Short-eared owl, and Northern Hawk-owl) primarily hunt small mammals. The number of breeding pairs in any given area is dependent on the availability of small mammals as prey.