Description:

Medium-sized owl with distinctive moth-like flight, wing beats bouncing, high and flapping. From Long-eared at rest by short or apparently absent ear-tufts, buffish-white coloration to facial discs, yellow eyes, buff background coloration to upperparts, and non-existent or indistinct streaking on belly and flanks.

Distribution:

Rare passage migrant through the central areas of Gilgit-Baltistan, mainly Hunza, Nagar, Gilgit and Diamer. Generally prefers open country with scattered bushes, scrubby hillsides, grassland and rocky semi-desert. From lowland to 3000m.

Behavior:

Diurnal, crepuscular and nocturnal; activity dictated by prey density. Hunts low above ground, often quartering with wings held in slight dihedral, or hovering and quickly adjusting flight to drop on to prey. Mostly feeds on small mammals, less frequently birds. Mammals commonly include voles, shrews, moles, rabbits and hares, pocket gophers and mice, less commonly bats and mustelids.

Photo Gallery:

Range & Occurrence:

Resident Species

Summer Breeder

Winter Visitor

Passage Migrant

Distribution Map of Short-eared Owl in Gilgit-Baltistan (Status: )

Seasonal Occurrence of Short-eared Owl

Resources:

Birds of Pakistan: Helm Field Guides (R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
The Birds of Pakistan (T. J. Roberts)
Birds of the Indian Subcontinent (C. Inskipp, R. Grimmett & T. Inskipp)
Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide (P. Rasmussen & J. Anderton)
Birds of India: Collins Field Guide (N. Arlott)
Handbook of the Birds of India and Pakistan (S. Ali & S. D. Ripley)
Handbook of the Birds of the World (https://www.hbw.com)
The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World, 6th Edition
iNaturalist BoGB (inaturalist.org/projects/birds-of-gilgit-baltistan)
Birds of Gilgit-Baltistan (http://fb.me/birdsgb)

*Gallery images on this page are shared from flickr.com, and are copyrighted to their respective creators or owners.