Population increase of the Long-eared Owl, Asio otus (Linnaeus, 1758), in Iran (Aves: Strigidae)

The Long-eared Owl, Asio otus (Linnaeus, 1758), was known as a scarce wintering bird in Iran until 2010. There were altogether 25 records until the 1970s, but no data are available for the period between the 1970s and 1997. Between 1997 and 2014 there were at least 32 non-breeding and 17 breeding records available based on data of the Iran Bird Records Committee. Breeding was first confirmed in Nahavand (Hamedan Province) and has in the meantime been confirmed at 11 localities mainly in the western half of the country. The recent increase in records (from 25 records during 12 decades compared with 49 records during two decades) indicates that there has been a real increase in the numbers of Long-eared Owls occurring in Iran.