Long-eared Owl fledgling, near Castlegregory, 17th July 2019 (Padraig Quirke).
Like Barn Owls, Long-eared Owls have quite a spread in the dates on which they lay their eggs. With Barn Owls, the average date for egg-laying in Ireland is in the first week of May, but Long-eareds average a week or two earlier. Therfore it is usually June when the squeaking calls of young Long-eared Owl chicks are heard but, as some nest earlier, others later, it is possible to hear them as early as May, and sometimes well into July.
