ii4 Baby Birds at Home 



They are only about half the length of those 

 of the Long-eared Owl. 



It feeds upon voles, mice, small birds and 

 beetles, for which it frequently hunts in the 

 broad light of day, and does not appear to 

 be inconvenienced even by sunlight. During 

 the last plague of voles in the Lowlands of 

 Scotland, Short-eared Owls arrived upon 

 the scene in great numbers and helped the 

 farmers to reduce the vast army of their 

 four-footed enemies. 



The nest is made on the ground amongst 

 heather, rushes, gorse or sedge, on moors, and 

 in fens and marshes. It is a mere hollow, 

 sometimes lined with a few bits of dead grass 

 or moss, and at others entirely bare. 



The eggs generally number from three to 

 five, although as many as seven or eight may 

 be found where the natural food of the species 

 is very plentiful. They are white and oval 

 in shape. 



As in the case of other owls, the young 

 ones in a clutch vary considerably in size. 

 They leave the nest before they are able to 

 fly, especially if disturbed, and, creeping 

 through the heather or rushes, hide and 

 wait until their food is brought to them. 



