Common name: Short-eared Owl (البومة قصيرة الأذنين)
Scientific name: Asio flammeus
Family: Strigidae

Size:
Body length: 34–42 cm
Wingspan: 85–110 cm
Weight: approximately 200–450 g

Identification:
A medium-sized owl with a rounded head and small, often barely visible ear tufts that give the species its name. The plumage is mottled buff, brown, and cream, providing good camouflage in open grassy and sandy habitats. The facial disc is pale with a distinctive dark patch around the yellow eyes, giving the bird a striking expression. In flight, it shows long wings with dark tips and a pale underwing, often gliding low over open ground with slow, buoyant wingbeats.

Habitat:
Favors open landscapes such as grasslands, desert plains, agricultural fields, marshes, and coastal flats. It prefers wide, unobstructed areas where it can hunt close to the ground and detect prey easily. During migration and winter, it may appear in a variety of open habitats across the region.

Status in the UAE:
Scarce winter visitor and passage migrant. It appears irregularly during the cooler months, particularly in open desert plains, coastal wetlands, and agricultural areas. Observations are sporadic, and the species is generally considered uncommon in the country.

Diet:
Carnivorous — feeds mainly on small mammals, particularly rodents, but may also take small birds and large insects depending on availability.

Behavior:
Unlike many owls, the Short-eared Owl is frequently active during daylight, especially at dawn and dusk. It hunts by flying low over open terrain, scanning the ground for movement before dropping quickly onto prey. Its flight pattern is slow and buoyant, often resembling that of a harrier as it glides over the landscape.

Conservation status:
Listed globally as Least Concern, with a wide distribution across many continents. However, populations in some regions have declined due to habitat loss and changes in land use. In the UAE, it remains a scarce seasonal visitor.