Short-Eared Owl
Asio flammeus
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Distribution Britain 679 (-15.2%) Ireland 11 (+1000%)
Numbers breeding: Britain 2,250 Ireland 0 European status: 17,000 (13% in Britain and Ireland =5) British population trend: sporadic but declining overall How likely are you to record it? 36 squares (0.8%) Ranked 124 |
The Short-eared owl is the least nocturnal of our owls and is regularly seen quartering rough grassland, moorland and saltmarsh. It is very dependant on the vole populations and may breed densely, and successfully, when their prey numbers are high. In the 19th century Scotland, Northern England and East Anglia had regular breeding populations. The few breeding records in Ireland have mostly been in the last 30 years but they are unlikely to do well since voles are absent from most of the island. Breeding is often associated with newly planted conifers and this may have led to an increase in many areas and the development of a thriving populations in Wales and the Isle of Man. The second Breeding Atlas recorded many lost squares. This may be due to the lack of new conifer planting. Numbers breeding in the country may fluctuate quite widely due to gluts or dearths of voles elsewhere. Further declines likely.
From
The
State of the Nations Birds
Copyright © 2000 by Chris Mead