During the day owls hide away, roosting amongst thickly-branched trees. In the autumn and winter, groups of up to 20 owls may roost together. Sometimes a roosting bird, or an anxious one, sits close to the trunk of a tree and pulls itself into an upright, slender shape; this helps it to blend in with its surroundings.

The long-eared owl does not like living near humans. It is much more shy than the tawny owl, which has adapted well to man-made environments and happily lives in gardens and parks, as long as there are trees to roost and nest in. The shyness of the long-eared owl may explain why it is not as common as the tawny owl.