Long-eared Owl Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesLong-eared Owl
Adult (American)
Long and slender owl with prominent ear tufts, an orangish facial disc, and yellow eyes.
© Steven S. Ross / Macaulay LibraryMassachusettsAdult (Eurasian)
Spends the day roosting in dense parts of pines and other trees.
© Heiko Heerklotz / Macaulay LibraryBaden-Württemberg, November 18, 2017Adult
Roosts in the dense parts of pines and other trees, often near the trunk of the tree.
© Benjamin Clock / Macaulay LibraryNew York, November 07, 2011Adult (Eurasian)
In flight, note large rounded wings and streaked underparts. Hunts above open grasslands and shrublands.
© Daniel López-Velasco | Ornis Birding Expeditions / Macaulay LibraryAsturias, Principado de, October 31, 2016Juvenile
Juveniles are fluffy with downy feathers and a prominent V between their eyes.
© Andrew Spencer / Macaulay LibraryBuryatia, June 18, 2017Adult (American)
Long ear tufts, orangish face, and yellow eyes stand out on this owl. Roosts in trees during the day.
© Michelle Martin / Macaulay LibraryOntario, January 03, 2016Similar SpeciesGreat Horned Owl
Adult (Great Horned)
Great Horned Owls are larger and bulkier than Long-eared Owls, with facial discs that don’t span as far up and down the face.
© Tony V / Macaulay LibraryWashington, March 17, 2017Similar SpeciesShort-eared Owl
Adult
Short-eared Owls have very tiny ear tufts compared to the long ear tufts on Long-eared Owls. They also have fewer markings on the underparts and no barring.
© Tim Lenz / Macaulay LibraryNevada, January 01, 2013Similar SpeciesEastern Screech-Owl
Adult gray morph (Northern)
Eastern Screech-Owls are much smaller with shorter ear tufts than Long-eared Owls. They also tend to be in more forested habitats than Long-eared Owls.
© David Wade / Macaulay LibraryColorado, May 08, 2017Similar SpeciesWestern Screech-Owl
Adult
Western Screech-Owls are much smaller with shorter ear tufts than Long-eared Owls. They also tend to be in more forested habitats than Long-eared Screech Owls.
© Noel Zaugg / Macaulay LibraryUtah, May 07, 2017Compare with Similar Species
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Species in This Family
Owls(Order: Strigiformes, Family: Strigidae)
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