Owl (Long-Eared) - Hunting and Feeding

All owls have flattened faces, forward-facing, sensitive eyes and excellent hearing - adaptations which allow them to find their prey in very dim light. Owls can fly silently because of their soft feathers and this allows them to pounce on their victims without warning. The powerful claws seize the prey, perhaps a mouse, quickly killing it. The hooked bill may be used for carrying prey and ripping it apart.

The prey of the long-eared owl depends on the area where the owl lives. In some places, many birds are eaten, but small mammals are generally the most important food. Sometimes a pair of owls may hunt together, one of them flushing out the prey while the other pounces.