Long-eared Owl

Scientific classification
Kingdom Information
Domain |  Eukaryota
Kingdom |  Animalia
Subkingdom |  Bilateria
Branch |  Deuterostomia
Phylum Information
Phylum |  Chordata
Sub-phylum |  Vertebrata
Infraphylum |  Gnathostomata
Class Information
Superclass |  Tetrapoda
Class |  Aves
Sub-class |  Neornithes
Infra-class |  Neoaves
Order Information
Order |  Strigiformes
Family Information
Family |  Strigidae
Sub-family |  Striginae
Genus Information
Genus |  Asio
Species Information
Species |  A. otus
Population statistics
Population | 2,180,000-5,540,000 est. (2015)
Conservation status | Least concern[1]

The long-eared owl (Asio otus) is a medium-sized owl of the family Strigidae, found in the woodlands throughout much of the Northern Hemisphere.

## Description[edit]

The long-eared owl is about 12–16 inches long, with a wingspan of 34–39 inches, weighing between 6.3 and 15.3 ounces. Females are larger than males. The upper plumage is a yellow rust brown to grayish-brown (females are somewhat darker), mottled with black spots and stripes. Chest and belly are a pale yellow to cream, and bearing dark vertical stripes. The facial disk is brown, with a light greyish "V" mark centered between the yellow-orange eyes, and extending downwards on either side of the beak. The brown ear tufts are set more in towards the center of the face, directly over the eyes; their length sets it immediately apart from the similar short-eared owl, with which it shares much of its range.

### Subspecies[edit]

* Asio otus canariensis; Canary Islands.
* Asio otus otus; Europe, northern Africa, Azores Islands, eastward to central and northern Asia.
* Asio otus tuftsi; western North America: Canada southward to Mexico.
* Asio otus wilsonianus; eastern North America: Canada southward to Oklahoma and Virginia.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22689507/0