LONG-EARED OWL
(Asio otus)
Fernbank Elementary School, Dekalb Co., GA
photos by Jim Flynn
| Click on any image to zoom in. 
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On Saturday, 28 March 1998, a Long-eared Owl was discovered
by Georgann Schmalz who was leading an Atlanta Audubon Society field trip
at Fernbank Forest, located behind the Fernbank Science Center east of
downtown Atlanta in Dekalb Co. The bird flushed to a white pine across
the street from the Science Center in front of Fernbank Elementary School, where
all of the participants of the field trip were treated to relatively good view
of this secretive species. Field marks shown in these photos, taken between 4:15 pm and 4:30 pm show the long, closely placed "ear" tufts for which this species gets its common name, the rufous facial disks, and the combination of streaks and bars on the underside. Also note the bird's relatively long tail giving it a rather slim appearance. Long-eared Owls are listed as a "rare winter visitor" in the Annotated Checklist of Georgia Birds (Haney, et. al., 1986), but the species' status in Georgia is heavily dependent upon road kill and poaching data. This is the first live, uninjured Long-eared Owl reported in the state since 1961. This individual spent the majority of the day perched in the same location and many area birders were able to study the bird at length. Although a search party was formed the next day, the bird was not relocated. |
Reviewed 21 Oct 2000
