Short-eared Owl
Asio flammeus
Synopsis: Breeds widely in rangelands and agricultural areas east of the Cascades. Formerly bred in the Willamette Valley, but breeding has not been confirmed there for many years.

Habitat Associations:
strongest
Edges of Freshwater Marsh (15532 acres)
strong
Sagebrush Steppe (2778049 acres)
Wet Montane Meadow (809 acres)
some
W. Juniper Woodland (629411 acres)
Low-Dwarf Sagebrush (112195 acres)
Salt Desert Scrub Shrubland (289175 acres)
Big Sagebrush Shrubland (4831570 acres)
Grassland & Fir-Ponderosa Interspersed (80055 acres)
Edges of Cropland/Pasture/Orchard (2685630 acres)
lesser
Northeast Modified Grassland (768571 acres)

Relative Detectability: Difficult to detect due to its somewhat nocturnal habits. Its ground-level nest is very hard to spot, making confirmation very difficult.

Challenge: Determine if this species has disappeared entirely as a breeder in western Oregon, and in Klamath, Crook, and Deschutes Counties.