{"id":56749,"date":"2019-03-21T06:13:38","date_gmt":"2019-03-21T12:13:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/?p=56749"},"modified":"2025-06-15T10:17:20","modified_gmt":"2025-06-15T15:17:20","slug":"im-eager-to-see-and-photograph-short-eared-owls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2019\/03\/21\/im-eager-to-see-and-photograph-short-eared-owls\/","title":{"rendered":"I’m Eager To See And Photograph Short-eared Owls"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"MaleMale Short-eared Owl looking out over green fields – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/320, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Two days ago I saw a Short-eared Owl flying over a field in the distance and I recognized the floppy moth-like flight pattern of this species immediately then I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw the owl shoot up into the sky and perform an aerial mating display. I’ve never been able to get the photos I want of them displaying but I’d sure love the chance.<\/p>\n

The thing is with this owl species is that they are nomadic and follow their prey so some years I might see only a few of them and other years I might see them practically everywhere I look where there is suitable habitat but right now it is just to early to know if I will see them in large numbers this year.<\/p>\n

\"StretchingStretching female Short-eared Owl in front of a green field – Nikon D810, f10, 1\/640, ISO 400, Nikkor 500mm VR with 1.4x TC, natural light, not baited<\/span><\/p>\n

I love photographing the Short-eared Owls while there is still some spring growth around because the warm toned plumage of these owls stands out so nicely from the varying shades of green. The green of spring doesn’t last very long here in northern Utah’s valleys below the mountain ranges before the heat dries the grasses up and turns them to shades of browns and tans.<\/p>\n

Both of these photos were taken three years ago when there were a good number of these owls to be found.<\/p>\n

I’ve been having problems with my allergies and I’m a little tired of snuffling, sniffling, and sneezing all day long so I am keeping this post short this morning.<\/p>\n

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

Mia<\/p>\n

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

I love photographing the Short-eared Owls while there is still some spring growth around because the warm toned plumage of these owls stands out so nicely from the varying shades of green.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":148607,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[27,1148,130,26],"tags":[4114,2663,3830,7019,3967,294,4353,4104,4394,3971,165],"class_list":["post-56749","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-fence","tag-green-growth","tag-owl","tag-owls","tag-owls-of-utah","tag-perched","tag-post","tag-short-eared-owl","tag-spring"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-female-stretching-mmia-mcpherson-3918.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p11Mom-eLj","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":45964,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/04\/03\/male-short-eared-owls-on-the-prowl\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":0},"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 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":39498,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/15\/burrowing-and-short-eared-owls-in-may\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":1},"title":"Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May – Satisfying my Owl Obsession","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 15, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I am thoroughly enjoying photographing Burrowing and Short-eared Owls in May and satisfying my owl obsession.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Sunrise adult Burrowing Owl male, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/burrowing-owl-adult-perched-mia-mcpherson-9138.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":65180,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2020\/02\/23\/thinking-of-spring-and-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":2},"title":"Thinking Of 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, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/short-eared-owl-male-green-field-mia-mcpherson-9324.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/short-eared-owl-male-green-field-mia-mcpherson-9324.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":45243,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2017\/02\/26\/nomadic-short-eared-owls\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":3},"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":39425,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2016\/05\/13\/short-eared-owls-nomadic-and-enchanting\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":4},"title":"Short-eared Owls – Nomadic and Enchanting","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"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.","rel":"","context":"In "Birds"","block_context":{"text":"Birds","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/avian\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Male Short-eared Owl basking in sunlight, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.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-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-male-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.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-perched-mia-mcherson-8178.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52342,"url":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/2018\/05\/30\/fledgling-short-eared-owl-perched-on-a-tumbleweed\/","url_meta":{"origin":56749,"position":5},"title":"Fledgling Short-eared Owl Perched On A Tumbleweed – Two Years Ago Today","author":"Mia McPherson","date":"May 30, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Two years ago today I had a fantastic time photographing Short-eared Owl fledglings on tumbleweeds that were in front a fence in northern Utah.","rel":"","context":"In "Box Elder County"","block_context":{"text":"Box Elder County","link":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/category\/locations\/utah\/box-elder-county-utah\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Fledgling Short-eared Owl on a tumbleweed, Box Elder County, Utah","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-fledgling-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-7157.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-fledgling-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-7157.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-fledgling-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-7157.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/short-eared-owl-fledgling-tumbleweed-mia-mcpherson-7157.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56749","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=56749"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/56749\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/148607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=56749"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=56749"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onthewingphotography.com\/wings\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=56749"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}