Short-eared owls!!

Drove Chris up to Calgary to catch the bus on Saturday past. Unlike the Holiday Monday when I went up to Calgary to get him - when I saw a coyote and 2 bald eagles by Claresholm - it was pretty quiet. Just saw a coyote trying to find a mouse or something under the snow. Why is it that a coyote is classed as a member of the dog family, but pounces on it's meals under the snow like a cat? Things that make you go "hmmm..."

Anyway, I digress. No wildlife, other than the coyote, on the way up to Calgary. Nothing on the way back, and I even took the Vulcan Highway, where I've seen bald eagles and snowy owls... nadda!

Until.... I get 56 km away from home! Hmmm... what IS that on the fence post on the other side of the road? I slow down on my side, creep over to the shoulder, and coast up the road. DAMN!! It's a freakin' owl!! But not an owl like I've seen every before!! It's small. Smaller than a hawk. ??????????? What on earth???

I go up the road a ways, and turn around, and come back, now on the same side as the owl. I park the truck directly in front of it. Took a picture with the zoom, and the FLIPPIN' camera FLIPPIN' died!!! GGGRRR!!! But it stayed for quite awhile, looking at me, not scared at all. Then it swooped off the fence post and flew to some dead shrubbery out in a field.

I continue coasting on the shoulder, waiting for the traffic to go past me, and WOW!! Another owl on a fence post. And no, it ISN'T the same one! Actually, this one is skittish. Flew off pretty much as soon as I came up to it. Flew behind me, and landed on another post.

I continue coasting on the shoulder until it's clear for me to pull ANOTHER u-turn. Coasting once again, going in the home direction. Watching the 2nd owl. Get closer, and again it swooops low and heads off to the shrubs where the first one disappeared to. Get a good look at it's wings from the top side. Bands across the wrist area. Make mental note to self.

For the next 50+ km until I get home, I'm trying to figure out what kind of owl that was. Process of elimination... NOT a snowy. NOT a great-horned. NOT a boreal. NOT a burrowing. Wait! There was that band across the wing... maybe it's a barred owl. Think I've read that name somewhere.

Zip into the house... once I've been greeted by the clan and everything has settled, dig out my good ole bird books. Pretty darn sure is WASN'T a barred owl, it was a SHORT-EARED owl. Far out!! All my years of driving and watching, I've NEVER seen this owl before!! Didn't even know they existed around here!!


SHORT-EARED OWL(Asio flammeus)
Field Marks: The tufts of feathers on the head are very small and inconspicuous and generally not seen except when the female is in camouflage position at nest. It should be considered a round-headed owl for identification. The eyes are yellow and the bill black. Its facial disk is circular, grayish white with black orbits. Juvenile owls retain more black on the disk until the fall. Ventrally they are buffy brown with vertical streaks, paler on the belly. Dorsally, they are mottled buffy/brown. In flight, dark"wrist" on underwing is a key field mark, coupled with mothlike flight.
Size: 13 to 17 inches.
Weight: 11 to 14 ounces.
Similar Species: The Long-eared owl has a smaller "wrist" patch, buffy underwings and a darker belly. Although long-eared owls hunt similarly to short eared owls, they are rarely seen hunting during they day as the short-eared may. The burrowing owl is much smaller and has a yellow to whitish bill.
Habitat: Open grasslands, plains and agricultural areas with suitable vegetation and food.
Voice: "Hooh, hooh, hooh...," given approximately 15 times during courtship flight. Courtship song is also accompanied by an audible wing-clap and dive between calls.
Natural History: Begins nesting in late February to March. Nests on the ground in a small depression, often with grasses placed around the depression;nest resembles a small bowl. Clutch size 4 to 10 with an incubation period approximately 26 days. Young fledge at 30 to 40 days. This owl is migratory, however some individuals may not migrate.
Food Habits: A vole or field mouse specialist- almost the entire diet is made up of these small rodents.


Damn!! I never paid any attention to it's BILL!!! Who knew!!