As the days shorten, resident short-eared owls are joined by migrants arriving from colder regions such as Scandinavia, Russia and Iceland. Some are even spotted flying in off the sea, arriving tired but determined after long journeys. These winter visitors spread out across open landscapes, particularly moorland, grassland, coastal saltmarshes and wetland edges, where hunting conditions are ideal.

The short-eared owl has a flight style unlike any other. Long-winged and buoyant, it glides low over the ground with steady, moth-like wingbeats, quartering the land as it searches for prey. Field voles are its favourite food, but small birds are also taken. Watching one hunt is a real privilege – silent, focused and graceful, it embodies the wildness of winter.

In appearance, short-eared owls are beautifully camouflaged. Their plumage is mottled yellow-brown above and paler underneath, blending perfectly with winter grasses and reeds. A pale face is framed by bold dark circles around striking yellow eyes, giving them an intense, almost curious expression. Despite their name, their ear tufts are very short and often barely visible, especially in flight.

Roughly the same size as a barn owl, short-eared owls can be distinguished by their longer wings and darker, more heavily patterned body. Unlike the secretive long-eared owl, which favours woodland and dusk, Shorties are birds of open country and open skies.

Despite their graceful, floating flight, short-eared owls are solid, powerful birds. Measuring around 34–42cm in length, with an impressive wingspan of up to a metre, they appear much larger in the air than their weight of just 330g suggests. In the wild, they typically live for between four and twelve years, surviving some of the toughest conditions our landscapes can offer – particularly during harsh winters.

In recent years, short-eared owls have been spotted at Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust reserves including Farlington Marshes near Portsmouth to around Lymington and Keyhaven Marshes.