Short abstract from the book: The long-eared owl is a common breeding bird in most parts
of Denmark. It is also a common passage migrant and winter
visitor. The first long-eared owl was ringed in Denmark in
1914, with the highest number ringed in 1963 (139). The
recovered birds were ringed over most of the country. Sixty-eight of the recovered birds were ringed during the breeding
seasons, including sixty-four birds ringed as nestlings. During
autumn the first recovery more than 100 km from the ringing
site is from 26 October in northern France (766 km). The
mean distance of birds ringed in Denmark as chicks and recovered during the first winter was 175 km (3-676 km, n=9)
and 131 km for a later winter (32-242 km, n=7). The recoveries indicate that birds from the Danish breeding population winter in NW Europe including Denmark, Germany,
the Netherlands, Belgium and France. Forty-two per cent of
birds ringed as chicks and recovered in a subsequent breeding
season were found more than 50 km from the ringing site
(mean 51 km, 0-155 km, n=11).
The recoveries indicate that Denmark is visited by migrants
from breeding populations in central and southern Norway,
Sweden and Finland but also from Lithuania, northern
Germany and even from Holland. Birds from Scandinavian
have been recovered in Denmark from 15 October to late
April. Birds ringed in Denmark outside the breeding season
have during winter been recovered in NW Europe including
Denmark, Germany and Britain. Some of these birds have
migrated in a westerly direction, ex. from Christiansø in the
Baltic Sea to Jutland, Orkney and Newcastle. The recoveries
indicate that long-eared owls are returning to the same wintering site in subsequent winters.
Only fifteen per cent of the recoveries were live recaptures.
Of 108 dead birds, 22 % were reported as killed in traffic
and 5 % had been shot; four in Denmark (before 1972) and
one in Germany (in 1965). Of birds ringed abroad and found
dead in Denmark, 26 % were reported as killed in traffic and
2 % had been shot.
Read more about the species in the chapter from The Danish Bird Migration Atlashere
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