The Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is an uncommon but widespread winter visitor and migrant in Arizona, favoring open country such as grasslands, agricultural fields, marshes, and desert flats. Recognizable by its mottled brown plumage, pale facial disk, and barely visible short ear tufts, it often hunts by coursing low over fields with slow, buoyant wingbeats, especially at dawn and dusk. In Arizona, most sightings occur from late fall through early spring, with occasional individuals lingering into summer at higher elevations or in remote grassland habitats. Unlike many owls, A. flammeus is frequently active during daylight hours, particularly on overcast days. It feeds primarily on small mammals such as voles, mice, and pocket gophers, but will also take small birds. Breeding in the state is rare and irregular, usually tied to years of abundant prey in suitable grassland habitat. Populations fluctuate with prey availability, and while the species is listed as Least Concern globally, habitat loss and changes in land use have likely reduced its occurrence in Arizona over time.
