{"id":39425,"date":"2016-05-13T04:48:01","date_gmt":"2016-05-13T10:48:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=39425"},"modified":"2025-06-15T09:59:54","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T14:59:54","slug":"short-eared-owls-nomadic-and-enchanting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/13\/short-eared-owls-nomadic-and-enchanting\/","title":{"rendered":"Short-eared Owls – Nomadic and Enchanting"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Short-eared Owl basking in sunlight – Nikon D810, f8, 1\/800, ISO 400, -0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

This year I’ve seen far more Short-eared Owls in Utah than I have since I moved here in 2009 and I’ve been enjoying photographing these nomadic and enchanting owls for over a month. Short-eared Owls will can be seen where there is ample prey to be found and if the small mammal population crashes they will move on which is why they are considered nomadic. These owls might not be in the same locations next year so I am taking every opportunity to photograph them that I can.<\/p>\n

\"WatchfulWatchful Short-eared Owl male – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1600, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I woke about 3 am this morning and will soon drive 90 miles to the north hoping to see and photograph more Short-eared Owls. Yesterday from a distance I saw a male short-eared courtship sky dancing display so maybe they haven’t all started nesting. I would love to get images of the owls sky dancing that weren’t from a mile away!<\/p>\n

\"PerchedPerched female Short-eared Owl in Box Elder County – Nikon D810, f7.1, 1\/1250, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

Yesterday along with photographing male Short-eared Owls in the photos above I was able to photograph this female perched on a rusty metal post. She didn’t stay all that long but I enjoyed every second that I had with her.<\/p>\n

Life is<\/em> good.<\/p>\n

Mia<\/p>\n

Click here<\/span><\/a> to view more of my Short-eared Owl photos plus facts and information about this species.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year I’ve seen far more Short-eared Owls in Utah than I have since I moved here in 2009 and I’ve been enjoying photographing these nomadic and enchanting owls for over a month.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":148594,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1148,130,26],"tags":[4114,2663,4070,898,4062,294,4353,4104,3971],"class_list":["post-39425","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-avian","category-box-elder-county-utah","category-short-eared-owls","category-utah","tag-asio-flammeus","tag-birds-of-prey","tag-female","tag-fence-post","tag-male","tag-owls","tag-owls-of-utah","tag-perched","tag-short-eared-owl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-afT","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45243,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/26\/nomadic-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":39425,"position":0},"title":"Nomadic Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 26, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Short-eared Owls are nomadic because they follow their main prey which is voles and if the vole population is low the Short-eared Owl density will also be low.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Short-eared Owl chick in early morning light, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/short-eared-owl-juvenile-road-side-mia-mcpherson-2797.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45964,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/03\/male-short-eared-owls-on-the-prowl\/","url_meta":{"origin":39425,"position":1},"title":"Male Short-eared Owls On the Prowl in Idaho, Montana and Utah","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"April 3, 2017","format":false,"excerpt":"Short-eared Owls are nomadic so the places where I saw and photographed these male Short-eared Owls last year may or may not have owls this breeding season.","rel":"","context":"In "Beaverhead County"","block_context":{"text":"Beaverhead County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/montana\/beaverhead-county-montana\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Short-eared Owl rousing in Utah, Box Elder County","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-rousing-mia-mcpherson-3166.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-rousing-mia-mcpherson-3166.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-rousing-mia-mcpherson-3166.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-rousing-mia-mcpherson-3166.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 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Spring And Short-eared Owls","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"February 23, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I've been busy the past few days and haven't been able to get out into the field but that hasn't stopped me from thinking of spring, green fields, warm sunlight on my skin, and Short-eared Owls.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Short-eared Owl male looking over a green field, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/short-eared-owl-male-green-field-mia-mcpherson-9324.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/short-eared-owl-male-green-field-mia-mcpherson-9324.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, 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