ABSTRACT
The long-eared owl is found in most of the temperate regions of the world. In some areas long-eared owls are migratory, while in other places the nesting sites are near wintering areas. Whether at wintering or nesting areas long-eared owls prefer densely wooded areas or at least thick groves of trees for daytime roosting cover and open areas for nocturnal hunting. The search should be conducted during the daylight hours, and the researcher should look carefully for long-eared owls perched in thick clumps of trees or bushes. A bias to this method of estimating total owls present, especially in a small census area, is the clumping of long-eared owls in one area at a communal roost. The best method to census nesting long-eared owls is to investigate each potential stick nest in the census area with binoculars or by cautiously climbing the tree and looking into the nest or by jarring it with a long stick to flush the female.
