"When Black Eyes are Cool"

Short-eared Owl

        Have you ever seen an owl with a black eye? How about two black eyes?  Our artist this week says she remembers a time she saw an Owl standing off in the distance in a grassy field, and when she looked through her scope she saw black eyes. It was a Short-eared Owl! This is when black eyes are cool.

        The Short-eared Owl is one of the most widely distributed owls in the world. This is a bird of open grasslands. Short-eared Owls can be seen hunting over fields, marshes, meadows, prairies, and tundra in the late afternoon and early evening hours. In daylight, if you're lucky, you may see them dozing on fences, posts, or in a grassy field. Like the Burrowing Owl, they are ground nesters and when habitat is lost their numbers plummet. Their flight is unique. One birder described their wing flight as moving up and down like a paper owl on a string. They fly low over their habitat, much like the Northern Harrier Hawk. However, they are seldom mistaken for the Harrier because of their broad wings, large head, and dark-brown elbow patches on the upper wings.

        Short-eared Owls are commonly seen at Promontory Point, the north end of the Great Salt Lake, where there are sweeping rocky plains and wide grassy vistas. This area has supported horse ranching since early pioneer times. Wheat crops, vast sagebrush tracts, and grasses of the cattle ranches produce plenty of rodents for Owls to feed upon.

        Adult males and females differ slightly in color. Breeding commences with a spiraling courtship flight from the male, and during the mating season, males will "clap" their wings together, making raspy barking calls. If you chance to see or hear this beautiful Owl, or if you just want to talk about birds, call Marilyn Davis at 435 673-0996.