Short-eared owls

During the 2009 Montezuma Christmas Bird Count, 13 Short-eared Owls  (Asio flammeus) were reported.  Many of the birding groups stopped by Van Dyne Spoor Road in the Town of Savannah on their way back to the Montezuma Audubon Center for the evening’s final compilation.  In addition to finding a retiring Northern Harrier and a Northern Shrike being chased by a Cooper’s Hawk, nine short-ears were still flitting over the fields and crossing the road.
Because of their long wing spans (38 to 42 inches) relative to body size (14 to 15 inches long), Short-eared Owls fly like giant moths, a common comparison for the owl’s typical pattern.  Aside from this moth-like flight which begins in late afternoon, Short-eared Owls can be identified by light-colored facial disks surrounding bright-yellow eyes that face forward in typical owl-like fashion for binocular vision and depth perception.  From the side, the owl’s head appears large and block-shaped and seems to be attached directly to the body without a neck.  I nickname them “block-heads.”  The so-called “ears” are just tufts of feathers used to signal other owls or help them blend into dry grass while resting.  Sometimes these feathers are flattened and invisible.  The real ears are hidden under feathers on the sides of the head.  Typical of owls, one ear is higher than the other to help in accurate location of prey sounds.  
The owl is colored buff and brown on the back and wing tops but is very light with faint streaking underneath, again to aid in camouflaging.   The upper breast is more heavily streaked.  The underwings are white with black “wrist” marks and dark wing tips.  Overall this owl is slightly smaller than a crow.
The Short-eared Owl is now primarily a winter visitor in Western and Central New York.  Decades ago, the species bred in various grasslands around New York State, but like the disappearance of so many other grassland birds, the short-ear had only four confirmed nest sites (three of them in northern New York) during the 2000-2005 Breeding Bird Atlas.  The short-ear is a declining species and is listed as Endangered in New York.  The National Audubon Society lists it as a species of national conservation concern.
Short-ears are attracted to large, open tracts of open grassland with high vole densities.  This is the same habitat preferred by harriers and the two species are often found together.  Both fly low to the ground while hunting.  The owl may briefly hover before pouncing or dropping on its prey.  I’ve also seen them dive directly from fence posts where they’ve been watching the field.
The Department of Environmental Conservation (D.E.C.) along with a number of volunteers is conducting a study of Short-eared Owls at several sites in central and western New York including the Montezuma Wetlands Complex.  The goal is to document all of the owl’s wintering locations and establish long-term population monitoring efforts at both foraging and roosting sites.  Several sites around Montezuma have already been identified and several owls have been live-trapped and outfitted with tiny radio transmitters that allow their movements to be tracked.  If you see a vehicle parked beside a country road in the late afternoon or after dark and
someone is pointing a hand-held antenna, it might be one of the owl researchers.
Another aspect of owl research is monitoring their prey.  D.E.C. Wildlife Biologist Jim Eckler has established three sets of live traps in three different habitats at the Montezuma Audubon Center.  On the afternoon of January 11, students from Clyde-Savannah Middle School helped check the traps and record the findings.  Traps with “occupants” were brought inside and the small mammals were released into large terrariums so they could be identified.  Most were Meadow Voles (field mice), but Short-tailed Shrews, a White-footed Mouse and a Red Squirrel were also caught and then released.  Students from other after-school programs are also helping.  Results will be used to manage grasslands that benefit Short-eared Owls.