Grass Owl

The Grass Owl, also called the Eastern Grass Owl, is a member of the barn owl family adapted to life in tall grassland and sedge marsh rather than forest, with a range extending from South and East Asia through Southeast Asia to Australia. Unlike most owls, it nests and roosts on the ground, tunneling through dense grass to form runways.

Its long, slender, relatively bare legs are an adaptation for moving through thick grass, and its plumage is patterned in golden-buff to dark brown tones with fine spotting, providing camouflage in its grassland habitat. Like other Tyto owls it retains the characteristic heart-shaped facial disc.

Because it depends on tall, undisturbed grassland, its populations can fluctuate with fire, grazing, and land-use changes affecting its specialized habitat.

Size and shape

Medium-large feathers from a bird 34-37 cm long, with notably long legs relative to body size, an adaptation for moving through dense grass rather than perching in trees.

Color and pattern

• Upperparts range from golden-buff to dark brown, finely marked with small dark and pale spots.
• Underparts are whitish to buff, sparsely spotted.
• The heart-shaped facial disc is pale, though often appearing somewhat darker or duskier than in other Tyto species.
• Legs are long and only lightly feathered.
• Shafts are pale.

Distinguishing from similar species

Compared to the Australian Masked Owl or Sooty Owl, Grass Owl feathers show a more golden-buff tone with finer spotting rather than coarse blotching or sooty darkness, and the long, sparsely feathered legs reflect its grassland, ground-hunting habits rather than a forest lifestyle.

Adults range from golden-buff to darker brown above, finely spotted, with paler, sparsely marked underparts. The facial disc is pale but can appear duskier than in forest-dwelling Tyto species. Sexes are similar, with females somewhat larger. Juveniles are downier with less defined spotting. Molt follows breeding on an annual cycle.

This species occurs from South Asia and southern China through Southeast Asia to Australia, favoring tall grassland, sedge marshes, and reed beds, avoiding forested habitats used by most other owls. It is generally resident, though populations may shift locally in response to habitat changes such as fire or flooding.

Grass Owls hunt small mammals, particularly rodents, by quartering low over grassland at night, relying on acute hearing to detect prey moving through vegetation. Uniquely among many owls, they nest and roost on the ground, forming tunnels and platforms within dense grass rather than using tree hollows. The call includes hissing and screeching notes typical of barn owls. When identifying a feather, look for a golden-buff to dark brown, finely spotted pattern paired with the long, sparsely feathered legs adapted for a grassland, ground-dwelling lifestyle.