Description

Long-eared Owls are strictly nocturnal, venturing out at night to hunt for food, which is primarily mammals. They will often cover great distances in search of food. More than 300,000 regurgitated food pellets have been studied and has shown that amphibians, reptiles, fish, and insects are rarely consumed. Like other nocturnal owls, this bird is highly sensitive to sound, such as the squeaking of a mouse. The eye disks funnel sound to the ears, which are asymmetrical in shape, size, and position. The difference in time that it takes for sound to travel to each ear is enough to allow the owl to pinpoint its prey. Although their eyesight is excellent, it has been proven that owls can catch their prey in total darkness by sound alone.