The Little Owl (Asio otus) is similar in color and pattern to the Great Horned Owl, but is half as large. It is about 35 cm long, and its wingspan measures from 84 to 95 cm. The Little Owl has bright orange eyes, and on the top of its head a pronounced tuft of feathers, which earned it the name owl. When resting, pressed against the trunk of a tree, it lowers these 'ears' and we do not notice them. And anyway we will rarely notice it during the daytime nap, as it blends with the tree on which it dozes during the day thanks to its camouflage pattern in brown tones.
The Little Owl is a nocturnal bird that actively hunts its prey. With the coming of evening twilight it begins to sweep the grassy landscape in near-silent flight. It locates its prey with the help of its hearing, then descends on it and grabs it with its sharp claws. The majority of its diet consists of small mammals, such as voles or mice, but it can also catch a smaller bird.
In Slovenia it is regarded as a fairly common breeder in lowland areas; it nests between February and June. Here it typically stays year-round, but from the northern parts of its range it migrates in winter to milder climates. It does not build its own nest, but searches for an abandoned nest of a larger bird, such as a crow, jackdaw, or some raptor. It nests in stands of conifers or a light forest near open, grassy landscapes. Its young leave the nest even before they know how to fly, and then each hides on its own end of a branch, making it harder for predators to detect them.
