The short-eared owl (Asio flammeus) population in North America has been declining since the 1970s and the species is of special conservation concern to several jurisdictions. Due to the nomadic nature of this species, existing survey methods are poorly adapted to determining its presence and to providing population trends. The goal of the present study was to develop and deploy a survey specifically aimed at detecting short-eared owls. The Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region of Québec, which contains many suitable nesting areas for this species, was chosen for the pilot study. The location of potential survey sites was determined by combining historical observations with current agricultural land use data pertaining to forage crops. Three surveys were conducted during the migration and pair formation period, and again during the nesting period. In 2012, 7 of the 8 selected sites were occupied during the migration and pair formation period, compared to 3 out of the 9 selected sites visited in 2013. In 2012, 3 of the 8 selected sites were occupied during the nesting period, compared to 1 out of 9 in 2013. Our results show that the species-specific survey method developed maximizes the possibility of detecting short-eared owls. However, 2 visits per period were sufficient to detect the presence of the species at a given site. This project highlights how birders and farmers can make a valuable contribution to conservation efforts.