Finding a Short Eared Owl

We received an email from John Bissell today reporting his sighting of a Short-Eared Owl at the Arboretum. He also sent 3 great pictures of the owl, looking like he is patiently posing for his portrait. Seeing a short-eared at the Arboretum is rare and getting a great photograph of this Owl is a treat.

Short-eared Owls migrate south from Canada during winter and prefer grasslands, sloughs and pastures for hunting and nesting. Owls are more often spotted in February, when they hoot, bark, whistle and make swooping, fancy moves to attract their mate.

John is a regular birder at the Arboretum. He also maintains our bluebird nesting boxes and leads our bird walks. These photographs were taken in the conifer collection on the west side of the Arboretum.