Short-eared Owl
Photo by Matt Valencic

Searching for winter raptors is done from the comfort of your car. Just drive around appropriate habitats, find safe places to stop, then start looking! Some raptors are year-round residents, like Red-tailed, Red-shouldered and Cooper’s Hawks. Others, like Northern Harrier’s, Rough-legged Hawks and Short-eared Owls, arrive here in November/December from their breeding grounds in Canada or the arctic tundra. Get to know their desired habitats and the time of day they hunt, then check eBird to learn where they are being seen (use EXPLORE Species Maps feature). Pack a lunch, grab a birding friend or three, then go ‘chasing’ raptors on a sunny, winter day.

Short-eared Owls breed across Canada near large, open areas like prairie’s, meadows and grasslands.  They are crepuscular, meaning they are active at dusk and dawn.  Look for them where you find Rough-legged Hawks and Northern Harriers, but not until late in the day, just before dark.