Occurrence in Amherst & Connecticut Valley, Mass.
C19

Rare or accidental in Amherst, but common winter visitor in Northampton

December - February

C20

Now a rare spring and fall transient, occasional in winter; migrants arrive in early October and leave in April

October - April

C21

Some Short-eared Owls are permanent residents, and others apparently move farther south for the winter

March - November

Habitat
Prairies, marshes, dunes, tundra.
Nest Materials
a scrape in the ground, lined with grass and feathers
19th-20th Century Field Notes
SHORT - EARED OWL . Variegated with various shades of brown , tawny and white . Length , 15 inches . Very rare in Amherst , but seems to be common as a winter visitor near Northampton .

—H.L. Clark, 1887

21st Century Conservation Notes

Has disappeared from many southern areas where it formerly nested. Loss of habitat is probably the main cause.*