Young Long-eared Owls ❤️

Owls are silent hunters of the night, and they usually don't fly during the day. They sit on a tree and hide in the branches during the day, so it is not easy to find them. But I was lucky and already had several opportunities where I could take several pictures of them. Long-eared owls are more or less strictly nocturnal in activity. Usually activity for the species commences at dusk. But if you know their "sleeping" tree that they use to sleep and rest during the day, then you might have a good chance to take some pictures of them.

Another good opportunity to take some pictures of these birds is if you know the nesting spot than you can find nestlings and young birds that left the nest usually on a tree nearby. This birds in the first picture is such a young nestling that was still sitting close to the nesting spot.

Young Long-eared Owl on a tree. Picture: Florian Glechner.

In most parts of the range, long-eared owls favor stands of conifers adjacent to openings. So, at least if you know the type of tree they prefer, you can look for places where these trees grow and restrict your search to it. But still it is not so easy to find them. I had the luck that a friend of mine is working as a tree worker and therefore knows a lot of places where birds are nesting, and then it is way easier to meet there and take some pictures of these beautiful birds.

Closeup of a young long eared owl. Picture: Florian Glechner.

I took these pictures last year at Lake Neusiedler and in Vienna. I also know another place in Burgenland where they probably could be found, and even a place here in Upper Austria, but I haven't visited this place this year, so I don't know if they are still there. But because it is still Summer it is probably not too late and paying them a visit might not be a bad idea. So maybe I will look out for them in the next weeks and give you an update on them.

It is such a cute owl. Picture: Florian Glechner.

Grown up #Long Eared Owl in Austria. Picture: Florian Glechner.

Another picture of a young owl. Picture: Florian Glechner.