A richly coloured, beautifully patterned, elusive owl of conifers and dense thickets near open moor or heath; long ear tufts characteristic if raised but less obvious when relaxed. Strictly nocturnal except in very cold weather.

Breeding Long-eared Owls are extremely elusive because they are nocturnal and nest in forest edges, shelter belts, and copses with conifers where they are hard to see. The calls of young, demanding food, may give them away. In winter, however, groups of owls roost together in thickets and tree tops; it is sometimes possible to watch these over several weeks, so long as they are not scared off by anyone approaching too closely.