Asio otus
A secretive, strictly nocturnal woodland owl with striking orange eyes.
Size: 35-37 cm | Habitat: Farmland & Countryside Birds | Season: All year
Slimmer and more upright than a tawny owl, the long-eared owl is a scarce and famously secretive bird, roosting by day in dense conifers or thick hedgerows where it can be almost impossible to spot. Its long, close-set ear tufts and blazing orange eyes are unmistakable when seen well.
Long, upright ear tufts, held close together · orange eyes · mottled brown-buff plumage · slim, upright roosting posture
Almost entirely nocturnal, long-eared owls hunt small mammals over open ground close to woodland edges, and are best located by their deep, repetitive hooting call on still winter nights.
Because it's so rarely seen, the long-eared owl is one of Britain's most under-recorded birds — some birdwatchers search for years before finally catching sight of one.
The Long-eared Owl (Asio otus) is a slim, upright owl with long, close-set ear tufts and blazing orange eyes, roosting by day in dense conifers or thick hedgerows where its superb camouflage makes it almost impossible to spot.
Almost entirely nocturnal, long-eared owls hunt small mammals over open ground near woodland edges and are usually located only by their deep, repetitive hooting call on still winter nights. Because they are so secretive, the species is thought to be significantly under-recorded in the UK.
The long-eared owl's Green status shows that a species doesn't need to be common or easily seen to be considered stable — its true population trend remains genuinely uncertain simply because it is so difficult to survey.
🟢 Conservation status: Green (UK Birds of Conservation Concern 5)
Green-listed under BoCC5, though as a scarce and highly secretive nocturnal species, its true population trend in the UK is considered uncertain due to significant under-recording.