Short-eared owl hunting in heavy snow

© Dilshan Muthalib/Getty Image

Short-eared owl

The short-eared owl, featured in today's image, is a grassland-dwelling member of the owl family. Found on all continents except Antarctica and Australia, it's one of the most widely distributed bird species. This raptor belongs to the genus Asio, whose members are characterised by feather tufts ('ears') on their head. The short-eared owl only reveals its tufts when feeling defensive.

Because of the irregular wingbeats, its flight is on the floppy side, much like a moth or bat. It likes to glide a few metres above the ground in open fields and grasslands, swooping down feet first to grab its prey. Owls primarily hunt at night, but this silent hunter is also active during the day and at dusk. Its daylight hunts often line up with the peak activity of small rodents called voles—its favourite meal. Known to relocate to areas with higher rodent populations, the short-eared owl even wanders nomadically in search of better food supplies during years when vole populations are low.