I have no experience with the long-eared owl, but since they can be widespread and fairly common throughout much of the province they are worth studying. They are most noticeable during the winter months in our area, roosting in groups of up to 100 birds in dense conifers. They emerge at dusk to hunt night creatures. They are gregarious during the wintertime, however, during the day they are quiet and undetectable. They may roost near the tree trunk and resemble part of the tree. It is recommended to try looking up the tree trunk for the noticeable facial features. ID: white eyebrows, dark eye ring, yellow eye; black bill; mottled upper wings; finely streaked under-parts; rusty facial disk; long ear tufts; slender body; long wings that extend beyond tip of tail with black wing tips. Feather tufts on head are not actually ears, their purpose is for the owl’s camouflage. Its wing feathers have sound-suppressing structures that allow it to fly almost silently, enabling it to detect the slightest rustle below.
Size: 33-41 cm/15” or crow-sized. Status: may be a locally common migrant and visitor in S Ontario Sept-April. Conservation: least concern/population decreasing. Habitat: woods near open fields and marshes. Prefers deciduous and evergreen forests. Nesting: loosely colonial in abandoned nest or tree cavity. Nest made of strips of bark, leaves, feathers etc. Feeding: nocturnal; flies low pouncing on prey; insects, voles, mice, small birds, rabbit, amphibians. As with all owls and many other birds, this owl regurgitates pellets of indigestible body parts of their prey such as feathers, fur, bones. This makes interesting research for those so inclined. Voice: shrieks, hisses, whistles, barks, screams, meows, twitters, hoots, coos. Large vocal repertoire, although in non-breeding season they are often silent. Resources: DK, Audubon, Stokes, Alberta and Birds of Ontario field guides.