They are large, upright, nocturnal owls. They appear stocky at rest, but when alert they become tense, slender, and erect. In alert, courtship, and camouflage postures, they erect their ear feathers and form a 'V' with the black and white facial pattern above their dark orange eyes. Long-eared owls live in open woodland (near settlements), forest borders, riverbanks, scrub, groves, coniferous parks, recreational forest sections, wooded ravines, and waterways. Long-eared owls usually feed on mammals. In most areas, field mice are their most common prey. When they spot their prey, they quickly pounce on it and pin it to the ground with their powerful talons. They swallow small prey immediately or carry it to another location with their beaks they carry large prey with their talons.
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