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Bird

Short-eared Owl

Asio flammeus

A winter visitor to Florida, found in all 67 counties and 16 habitats.

Here
Winter
Nesting
Not known to nest here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
16

At a glance

Group
Birds
Here
Winter
Nesting
Not known to nest here
Range
All 67 counties
Habitats
16
Habitat models
Winter

Where it lives

The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.

Habitats in Florida 16

Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 16

Coastal dunes and beaches

White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola
WinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Southern Beach; Unconsolidated Shore (Beach/Dune); Southeast Florida Beach; South Florida Shell Hash Beach; Florida Panhandle Beach Vegetation; Atlantic Coastal Plain Sea Island Beach; Southwest Florida Beach; Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Dune and Maritime Grassland; Southwest Florida Dune and Coastal Grassland; East Gulf Coastal Plain Dune and Coastal Grassland; Atlantic and Gulf Coastal Plain Interdunal WetlandGeorge Catlin, White Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola (1834-35): high white dunes with scattered clumps of dune plants above the Gulf. Santa Rosa Island near Pensacola, FloridaWhite Sand Bluffs, on Santa Rosa Island, Near Pensacola, George Catlin (1796-1872), 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal tidal marshes (salinity not stated)

On the San Sebastian River, Floridalabel QS:Len,"On the San Sebastian River, Florida"
WinterMartin Johnson Heade, On the San Sebastian River (c. 1883-90): a tidal river winding through flat marsh under storm clouds at sunset. San Sebastian River, St. Augustine, FloridaOn the San Sebastian River, Floridalabel QS:Len,"On the San Sebastian River, Florida", Martin Johnson Heade, c. 1883-1890. Public domain. Source record.

Freshwater marshes

The Great Florida Marsh
WinterSouth Florida Everglades Sawgrass Marsh; Floridian Highlands Freshwater Marsh; South Florida Freshwater Slough and Gator HoleMartin Johnson Heade, The Great Florida Marsh (1886): open marsh and lily-dotted water beneath live oaks and cabbage palms. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Heade, The Great Florida Marsh, 1886; North Carolina Museum of Art)The Great Florida Marsh, Martin Johnson Heade, 1886. Public domain. Source record.

Pine savannas

Beautiful Savannah in the Pine Woods of Florida
WinterEast Gulf Coastal Plain Savanna and Wet PrairieGeorge Catlin, Beautiful Savannah in the Pine Woods of Florida (1834-35): an open grassy savanna with a shallow pond, ringed by tall pines, with palmettos and red wildflowers. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Pine woods of Florida (George Catlin, 1834-35; Smithsonian American Art Museum)Beautiful Savannah in the Pine Woods of Florida, George Catlin, 1834-1835. Public domain. Source record.

Ponds, lakes and their shores

Florida Sunrisetitle QS:P1476,en:"Florida Sunrise"label QS:Len,"Florida Sunrise"
WinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Large Natural LakeshoreMartin Johnson Heade, Florida Sunrise: still water and a palm-fringed shore glowing at dawn. Regional view: the painting does not name the exact site. Florida (Heade, Florida Sunrise, c. 1890-1900)Florida Sunrisetitle QS:P1476,en:"Florida Sunrise"label QS:Len,"Florida Sunrise", Martin Johnson Heade, c. 1890-1900. Public domain. Source record.

Coastal Plain seepage bogs

Open, wet, seepage-fed bogs of the Coastal Plain and Sandhills, often with pitcher plants.

WinterSouthern Coastal Plain Herbaceous Seepage Bog

Depression ponds and limesinks

Shallow ponds in Coastal Plain depressions, such as limesinks and the ponds in some Carolina bays, that rise and fall with the seasons.

WinterCentral Florida Herbaceous Pondshore; Atlantic Coastal Plain Depression Pondshore

Disturbed and introduced wetlands

Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.

Winter

Florida scrub

Evergreen scrub oaks, sand pine and rosemary on deep, white, drought-prone sand ridges, burned rarely but intensely; distinct from the longleaf and turkey oak sandhills.

Winter

Forest edges and thickets

Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.

WinterDisturbed/Successional - Shrub Regeneration; Successional Shrub/Scrub (Other); Harvested Forest - Shrub Regeneration

Freshwater tidal marshes

Marshes along tidal rivers where the water is fresh but rises and falls with the tide.

WinterFlorida Big Bend Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Fresh-Oligohaline Tidal Marsh

Prairies and grasslands

Open, grass-dominated places kept open by fire, grazing or thin soil, from tallgrass prairie to Piedmont prairies.

WinterFlorida Dry Prairie

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Ground opened by people: roadsides, old fields, pastures, fencerows and lots.

WinterDeveloped, Open Space; Cultivated Cropland; Pasture/Hay; Disturbed/Successional - Grass/Forb Regeneration; Utility Swath - Herbaceous; Disturbed, Non-specific; Ruderal Upland - Old Field

Salt and brackish marshes

Coastal marshes flooded by salty or brackish tides.

WinterAtlantic Coastal Plain Central Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Atlantic Coastal Plain Indian River Lagoon Tidal Marsh; Mississippi Sound Salt and Brackish Tidal Marsh; Florida Big Bend Salt-Brackish Tidal Marsh

Seeps and springs

Places where groundwater keeps the soil or rock wet, such as seepage slopes and spring runs.

WinterCentral Florida Herbaceous Seep

Wet meadows

Open, wet, grassy or sedgy ground that is not a bog.

WinterSouth Florida Wet Marl Prairie
Other habitats in its models (182)

Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Florida. Those recorded in Florida first, the rest by region.

Elsewhere in the South (28)
  • Appalachian Shale Barrens Winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Freshwater Marsh Winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Embayed Region Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Xeric River Dune Winter.
  • Central and Upper Texas Coast Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • Central Interior Highlands Calcareous Glade and Barrens Winter.
  • Central Interior Highlands Dry Acidic Glade and Barrens Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Stabilized Coppice Dune and Sand Flat Scrub Winter.
  • Cumberland Sandstone Glade and Barrens Winter.
  • Edwards Plateau Limestone Shrubland Winter.
  • Louisiana Beach Winter.
  • Southeastern Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald Winter.
  • Southern Blackland Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Calcareous Thornscrub Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Mixed Deciduous Thornscrub Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Savanna Grassland Winter.
  • Texas Coastal Bend Beach Winter.
  • Texas Saline Coastal Prairie Winter.
  • Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Winter.
  • Upper Texas Coast Beach Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Catahoula Barrens Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Nepheline Syenite Glade Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
  • West Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Calcareous Prairie Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Floodplain Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Sandhill Steppe Winter.
Northeast (8)
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Fresh and Oligohaline Tidal Marsh Winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Sandy Beach Winter.
  • Atlantic Coastal Plain Northern Tidal Salt Marsh Winter.
  • Great Lakes Freshwater Estuary and Delta Winter.
  • Laurentian-Acadian Freshwater Marsh Winter.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dune and Swale Winter.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Heathland and Grassland Winter.
  • Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Sandy Beach Winter.
Midwest (19)
  • Central Mixedgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Central Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Eastern Great Plains Tallgrass Aspen Parkland Winter.
  • Great Lakes Alvar Winter.
  • Great Lakes Dune Winter.
  • Great Lakes Wet-Mesic Lakeplain Prairie Winter.
  • Great Plains Prairie Pothole Winter.
  • Laurentian Pine-Oak Barrens Winter.
  • North-Central Interior Sand and Gravel Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • North-Central Oak Barrens Winter.
  • Northern Great Lakes Coastal Marsh Winter.
  • Northern Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Northwestern Great Plains Mixedgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Northwestern Great Plains Shrubland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Open Freshwater Depression Wetland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Saline Depression Wetland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Sand Prairie Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Tallgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Winter.
West (87)
  • Apacherian-Chihuahuan Mesquite Upland Scrub Winter.
  • Apacherian-Chihuahuan Semi-Desert Grassland and Steppe Winter.
  • California Central Valley and Southern Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • California Mesic Serpentine Grassland Winter.
  • California Northern Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Gypsophilous Grassland and Steppe Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Loamy Plains Desert Grassland Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Sandy Plains Semi-Desert Grassland Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Succulent Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Chihuahuan-Sonoran Desert Bottomland and Swale Grassland Winter.
  • Colorado Plateau Blackbrush-Mormon-tea Shrubland Winter.
  • Colorado Plateau Mixed Bedrock Canyon and Tableland Winter.
  • Colorado Plateau Mixed Low Sagebrush Shrubland Winter.
  • Colorado Plateau Pinyon-Juniper Shrubland Winter.
  • Columbia Basin Foothill and Canyon Dry Grassland Winter.
  • Columbia Basin Palouse Prairie Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Ash and Tuff Badland Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Low Sagebrush Steppe Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Scabland Shrubland Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Silver Sagebrush Seasonally Flooded Shrub-Steppe Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Steppe and Grassland Winter.
  • Columbia Plateau Vernal Pool Winter.
  • Great Basin Xeric Mixed Sagebrush Shrubland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Active and Stabilized Dune Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Alkaline Closed Depression Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Shrubland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Big Sagebrush Steppe Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Greasewood Flat Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Interdunal Swale Wetland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Juniper Savanna Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Mat Saltbush Shrubland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Montane Sagebrush Steppe Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Playa Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Grassland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Shale Badland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Wash Winter.
  • Klamath-Siskiyou Xeromorphic Serpentine Savanna and Chaparral Winter.
  • Madrean Juniper Savanna Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Alpine Bedrock and Scree Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Alpine Dry Tundra Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Northern Coastal Dune Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Serpentine Barrens Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Serpentine Fen Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Southern Coastal Dune Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Subalpine Meadow Winter.
  • Mediterranean California Subalpine-Montane Fen Winter.
  • Mojave Mid-Elevation Mixed Desert Scrub Winter.
  • North American Arid West Emergent Marsh Winter.
  • North American Warm Desert Active and Stabilized Dune Winter.
  • North American Warm Desert Playa Winter.
  • North American Warm Desert Riparian Mesquite Bosque Winter.
  • North American Warm Desert Wash Winter.
  • North Pacific Alpine and Subalpine Dry Grassland Winter.
  • North Pacific Bog and Fen Winter.
  • North Pacific Herbaceous Bald and Bluff Winter.
  • North Pacific Hypermaritime Shrub and Herbaceous Headland Winter.
  • North Pacific Intertidal Freshwater Wetland Winter.
  • North Pacific Maritime Coastal Sand Dune and Strand Winter.
  • North Pacific Montane Grassland Winter.
  • North Pacific Oak Woodland Winter.
  • North Pacific Serpentine Barren Winter.
  • Northern California Coastal Scrub Winter.
  • Northern Rocky Mountain Foothill Conifer Wooded Steppe Winter.
  • Northern Rocky Mountain Lower Montane, Foothill and Valley Grassland Winter.
  • Northern Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Upper Montane Grassland Winter.
  • Rocky Mountain Alpine-Montane Wet Meadow Winter.
  • Rocky Mountain Lower Montane-Foothill Shrubland Winter.
  • Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Fen Winter.
  • Rocky Mountain Subalpine-Montane Mesic Meadow Winter.
  • Sonora-Mojave Creosotebush-White Bursage Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Sonora-Mojave Mixed Salt Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Sonoran Mid-Elevation Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Sonoran Paloverde-Mixed Cacti Desert Scrub Winter.
  • Southern Rocky Mountain Montane-Subalpine Grassland Winter.
  • Temperate Pacific Freshwater Emergent Marsh Winter.
  • Temperate Pacific Freshwater Mudflat Winter.
  • Temperate Pacific Intertidal Mudflat Winter.
  • Temperate Pacific Montane Wet Meadow Winter.
  • Temperate Pacific Tidal Salt and Brackish Marsh Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Closed Depression Wetland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Foothill and Piedmont Grassland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Shortgrass Prairie Winter.
  • Willamette Valley Upland Prairie and Savanna Winter.
  • Willamette Valley Wet Prairie Winter.
  • Wyoming Basins Dwarf Sagebrush Shrubland and Steppe Winter.
Land cover and other classes (40)
  • Acadian Salt Marsh and Estuary Systems Winter.
  • Arkansas Valley Prairie and Woodland Winter.
  • Barren Land Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Creosotebush, Mixed Desert and Thorn Scrub Winter.
  • Chihuahuan Mixed Desert and Thorn Scrub Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Jackson Prairie and Woodland Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Depression Pondshore Winter.
  • Eastern Great Plains Wet Meadow, Prairie, and Marsh Winter.
  • Eastern Highland Rim Prairie and Barrens - Dry Modifier Winter.
  • Great Lakes Coastal Marsh Systems Winter.
  • Harvested Forest - Grass/Forb Regeneration Winter.
  • Harvested Forest - Northwestern Conifer Regeneration Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Curl-leaf Mountain Mahogany Woodland and Shrubland Winter.
  • Inter-Mountain Basins Semi-Desert Shrub Steppe Winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Annual Grassland Winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Forbland Winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland Winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Perennial Grassland and Forbland Winter.
  • Introduced Upland Vegetation - Shrub Winter.
  • Modified/Managed Southern Tall Grassland Winter.
  • Orchards Vineyards and Other High Structure Agriculture Winter.
  • Recently Burned Winter.
  • Recently Burned Forest Winter.
  • Recently Burned Grassland Winter.
  • Recently Burned Shrubland Winter.
  • Recently Chained Pinyon-Juniper Areas Winter.
  • Recently Logged Areas Winter.
  • South Texas Dune and Coastal Grassland Winter.
  • South Texas Sand Sheet Grassland Winter.
  • South-Central Interior Large Floodplain - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • Southern Appalachian Grass and Shrub Bald - Herbaceous Modifier Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Clay Grassland Winter.
  • Tamaulipan Mesquite Upland Scrub Winter.
  • Texas-Louisiana Coastal Prairie Slough Winter.
  • Unconsolidated Shore Winter.
  • Unconsolidated Shore (Lake/River/Pond) Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Badland Winter.
  • Western Great Plains Depressional Wetland Systems Winter.

All habitats

Seasons in Florida

  • Winter: does not nest here, in all 67 counties.

Also found in its main habitats

Its main habitats in Florida, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.

Short-eared Owl uses many habitats in Florida; these are its 3 most characteristic.

Coastal dunes and beaches

Birds 109

Plants 187

All of coastal dunes and beaches in Florida

Roadsides, fields and disturbed ground

Birds 99

Plants 1524

All of roadsides, fields and disturbed ground in Florida

Salt and brackish marshes

Birds 75

Plants 56

All of salt and brackish marshes in Florida

USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models.

Sources