Short-eared Owl Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesShort-eared Owl
Adult (Northern)
Medium-sized owl with a rounded head and tiny ear tufts that are difficult to see. Heavily streaked overall with dark eye patches and whitish face.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNevada, January 01, 2013Adult (Northern)
In flight look for barred wing tips. Hunts during daylight, flying low over short vegetation with a mothlike quality.
© Lizabeth Southworth / Macaulay LibraryHawaii, April 27, 2019Adult
Perches in the open and flies low over open areas with deep and somewhat mothlike wingbeats. This video has no audio.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryAlaska, June 16, 2007Not all videos have sound
Adult (Hawaiian)
Widespread owl with variation in plumage color. Heavily streaked and sometimes spotted looking overall with dark eye patches and a whitish face.
© Eric Gustafson / Macaulay LibraryHawaii, January 24, 2020Adult (Northern)
Ear tufts are small and difficult to see. Heavily streaked overall with black eye patches, yellow eyes, and a whitish face.
© Pavel Štěpánek / Macaulay LibraryJihomoravský kraj, April 19, 2019Similar SpeciesLong-eared Owl
Adult
Long-eared Owls have more prominent ear tufts than Short-eared Owls with a cinnamon facial disc.
© Brian Sullivan / Macaulay LibraryCaliforniaSimilar SpeciesBarn Owl
Adult
Barn Owls have a white facial disc and dark eyes while Short-eared Owls have a brownish facial disc with smudgy patches around their yellow eyes.
© Darren Clark / Macaulay LibraryIdaho, January 21, 2017Similar SpeciesNorthern Harrier
Immature
Northern Harriers hunt in the same habitats with a similar flight style, but they have smaller heads, longer tails, and more pointed wings.
© Evan Lipton / Macaulay LibraryRhode Island, February 21, 2017Similar SpeciesNorthern Harrier
Adult male
Northern Harriers show a bold white rump patch in flight that Short-eared Owls lack.
© Tim Avery / Macaulay LibraryUtah, April 23, 2017Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Owls(Order: Strigiformes, Family: Strigidae)
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