Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) breeds across the taiga and tundra zones in the northern hemisphere and in corresponding latitudes in South America as well! Northern populations migrate south for the winter.
Although the species winters in suitable grassland habitat across the Indian Subcontinent, it is most abundant in the western and northwestern parts of the region.
Short-eared Owl numbers may fluctuate greatly every year as its populations and reproductive success are strongly linked to fluctuating food resources such as Voles. Many owls and finches show ‘irruptions’ associated with food availability in time and space.
