this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2025
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Do owls fight if they come across each other like that?
Most owls are very territorial, so that is one of those things that makes these photos so special. A lot won't even hang out with their mate outside of nesting season, they just begrudgingly share territory, but they will chase others out.
Short Ears typically hunt in wide open grassland, so there perhaps isn't as much a sense of competition, as seeing Shorties hunting around other Shorties isn't uncommon. They will fight over food if one catches something and the other doesn't. This is also common with Northern Harriers, which hunt the same grasslands with some overlap in schedule with the owls. We've had lots of photos here of them stealing from each other.
But plentiful food really goes a long way in them extending their patience with each other. This helps in animal rescues, as space is limited, but once they understand food isn't in short supply, they can often cohabitate. It's not really them being "mean", but guarding their food supply is survival for them. There isn't unlimited prey in the wild, and if they want to see spring, they can't just let whoever stop by and help themselves.
Here's a pair of Shorties fighting over a snack: