Superbowl

From Dirk Helmert

From Lindy Pollard

It was a good day. I photographed my 2nd Barn Owl at Perkins Peninsula Park, here in Eugene, Oregon. It makes me really appreciate my Nikon P1000 for the Zoom feature. I first heard crows harassing it. Then it flew to a couple of different trees until it landed in a 3rd one where I was able to photograph it. I was lucky it was perched in the sunlight.

From Dan Minicucci

After a night hunting the return to the roost, trilling with big wide eyes.

From Rich Hoeg

Plumage Variations, Morphs, or Phases. All three terms describe feather color differences in birds, and this case specifically owls.

In the 1st image you are viewing a Great Horned Owl (GHO) adult and owlet. The parent has an "Arctic Phase' coloration to its feathers, which is very white. The photo was taken during June of 2023 in Alberta.

Arctic Phase Great Horned Owls tend to live well north in Canada where the white coloration helps with camouflage during the snowy season.

We now move south for a "Desert or Southwest Phase" GHO which I watched hunt in Arizona's Sonoran desert late yesterday afternoon. Its grayish white colors help blend in with the desert habitat.

Finally we move to NE Minnesota. This GHO has a more common "Boreal Forest Phase". This particular owl has nested near my home for the past six years. Its brownish gray coloration helps the bird blend in with the white pine in which it is perched.

From Wild Skies Raptor Center

Enjoy this photo dump of some of the patients we've seen this year. All of these owls have been released and we still have four in our care. This year, they've come to us for window and auto collisions, gunshots, fishing line, and electricity. Let's appreciate the beauty of these regal raptors and do our part in helping them stay wild.

From Luis Silva

Short eared owl. Asio flammeus. Figueira da Foz. Portugal. January 2024.

From Ali Xaidi

Hurricane Milton has created quite a predicament for the great horned and barred owls of Florida, forcing one of them to consider nesting in a stadium tower - a choice that seems a bit unconventional but necessary for their survival. While I would have preferred a more traditional nest for them, I am hopeful that they will overcome this challenge as they have in the past. Wishing these resilient RAPTORS all the best, especially after their previous nesting attempt failed due to a poor location choice.

This image was taken right after this pair mated and then the male flew far away from her across the river to this stadium this behavior explains preparations for the nesting site nearby on a tower.

From Simon Wardle

Still a little color out there if you work the angles. Eastern Screech Owl.

From Wild Action

'Bandit' the 15 day old Southern boobook owl and "Gandalf the 24 day old tawny frogmouth. Their growth rate is nothing short of magic!

From Niclas Ahlberg

A great grey owl hovering just before a dive to catch a vole. The low sun shines through the wings giving them glow. A magic meeting. I hope for more!

From Simon Dentremont

Even if this species is diurnal (meaning 'active during the day"), they often only come out late, which makes flight photography of them a challenge. This one decided to come out at the time of sundown, but on a cloudy day, so light was scarce. This was shot at f4, 8000. Thankfully my camera's autofocus performs well in low light.

Short-Eared Owl (In French, Hibou des marais), Sackville, New Brunswick, July 2021.

From Cody Julie Davis

I was able to capture a few shots during the last months of summer, excited for the arrival of late fall and the migrators!

From Pocono Wildlife Rehab

This is Oz. (Hebrew for Strength / courage) Oz is a long eared owl. This species of owls is considered threatened in Pennsylvania.

Long eared owls have such acute hearing they can catch prey in complete darkness. They also roost in large numbers in the winter which can make them easier to spot.

These owls have a vocalization that mimics a bark and their facial expression always appears surprised. They have long ear tufts that look like exclamation points but are actually an adaptation that helps them to blend into trees to camouflage. These tufts aren't ears at all. Owls' ears are located on the sides of their heads, behind their eyes.

Unfortunately Oz has a pretty significant fracture. He will be joining Spirit for a road trip to Radnor Veterinary Hospital today. if anyone can perform miracles it's Dr. Len Donato and his staff! Please send Oz lots of love and light.

Update: 0z made it through surgery 🥰
Hopefully the external fixator stays put.

From Gülay Sween

Tawny Owl with a very lovely home!

From Shaun Sackett

The Stretch in Flight! This was one of my best years with Great Grey Owls. Forever grateful to see such magnificent birds. Love the moments that are shared with great friends during these times.

From Simon Litten

You guys liked the early hours Shortie from the other day, so I thought you'd enjoy this too.

From Raptor Education Group Inc

Saw-whet Owlets Admitted in May, Foster Raised, All Grown-up and RELEASED!

In October, owlets of native species are full-grown. It is the natural time for them to become independent of their parents and begin their life in the wild. To prevent human imprinting, owlets admitted to Raptor Education Group Inc. (REGI) are raised by a foster parent of their species. Foster parents play a crucial role in developing the owlets, teaching them everything from vocalizations to social graces and the all-important "manners" essential for their acceptance into the wild population. They are vital and unsung heroes for the youngsters they rear and REGI staff. Staff are "hands off" young raptors, other than weighing the owlets every few weeks to ensure rapid growth. Staff involvement is limited to supplying food through a drop slot, which is not visible to the youngsters. The foster parent does the rest.

This year, REGI admitted two recently fledged Saw-whet owlets within days of each other in early May. The owlets were admitted with recoverable injuries but could not be returned to their nests. One owlet was from Waupaca, the other from Stevens Point. Weeks before, REGI admitted an adult female saw-whet owl with serious injuries when she was grabbed by a dog in Antigo while caring for her own family. The adult was recovering from her severe injuries; however, one wing was not 100%. She would need a longer time in rehabilitation to heal. She was depressed and quit eating on her own. We found the perfect solution for her and our young patients. We introduced her to the owlets; her change in demeanor was magical and immediate, making it clear to staff that she was in charge and that REG| staff was not needed in their lives.

Fast-forward five months.The owlets grew into healthy, well-adjusted wild owls. Their juvenile plumage transformed from the distinctive rust and deep brown to the adult plumage. Their foster mom did a perfect job raising them and teaching them everything they needed to know, even as she continued to recover from her encounter with the dog. We are hopeful for her continued recovery after a fulfilling summer raising babies! The young owls were released on Monday in a safe area monitored by a local birding club and owl experts. Thank you, everyone, from those who found and rescued the patients from challenging situations to our fantastic volunteer transporters and vital supporters who fund our work. Know we appreciate each one.

From Chuck Ramsey

I spotted this GHO in heavy foliage on a late afternoon walk through Cedar Creek Cemetery in Montrose Colorado. It was a challenge to get a clear shot of the eyes, but this image showed them off nicely.

From Jan Re

No info given on this, but I thought it was a pretty photo so I'm sharing it anyway!

From Eric D Olick

From Cape Wildlife Center

Getting stuck on a goal is never fun Our latest patient is a stunning and mildly annoyed Great Horned Owl who had an unexpected encounter with a soccer net. He got tangled while presumably chasing a skunk (based on the smell) and was unable to free himself. Thanks to some quick action from local wildlife lovers and animal control he's now in good hands!

He was rushed to our hospital with a large section of netting still attached. We carefully untangled him from the net, ensuring no further injuries, and he'll be staying with us as he recovers. He has a few sprains and lacerations, but luckily he did not do any major damage. Our team will give him the care he needs until he's back to full health and ready to soar once again.

Believe it or not, this is a common predicament that we treat several times each year. You can help the owls in your backyard this season by taking down sports nets when not in use, removing garden netting, and not using fake spiderwebs outdoors!

From LA Times

Lila Seidman, Oct. 14, 2024

California wildlife policymakers have opted to protect the diminutive Western burrowing owl as they consider listing the rapidly declining species as endangered or threatened.

The state Fish and Game Commission unanimously voted last week to make the unique avian a candidate for permanent safeguards under state law while acknowledging the perspectives of stakeholders from industries that could be affected by the decision.

Conservationists point to development, agriculture and clean energy projects as contributing to the owls’ decline by snatching habitat. Some industry representatives pushed back on the claims and underscored the importance of their role in the state.

“I think economics versus conservation is a false choice,” commission President Samantha Murray said during the Thursday meeting. “In California, we have the fifth-biggest economy in the world. We can have solar and housing and food and burrowing owls.”

The commission rejected a similar bid for protections roughly 20 years ago, and since then the situation has become more dire for the bird — the only owl species to nest and roost in underground burrows. Proponents of exploring the listing of the owls under the California Endangered Species Act said existing regulations and management strategies haven’t worked.

In 2003, when a petition to consider listing the species was denied, there were no more than 10,500 breeding pairs, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. As of last year, there were, at most, 6,500 pairs.

It’s believed the owl with bright yellow eyes has been extirpated from 16% of its range in parts of the coast and Central Valley. It has been nearly wiped out in 13% of its range, also in those regions. In the Bay Area, the owl is barely hanging on.

“At long last there’s a glimmer of hope for California’s rapidly disappearing burrowing owls, who desperately need protection,” said Jeff Miller, a senior conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity, in a statement.

In March, the center, along with the Defenders of Wildlife, the Burrowing Owl Preservation Society, the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society, the Urban Bird Foundation, the Central Valley Bird Club and the San Bernardino Valley Audubon Society, filed a petition with the commission seeking endangered or threatened status for burrowing owl populations. Miller penned both the 2003 and 2024 petitions.

Miller describes the owls as “eggs on legs” because the animal’s round head and body sit atop long, skinny legs. They stand just 7 to 10 inches tall and, as their name suggests, nest underground. “They can seem kind of goofy,” Miller told The Times earlier this year.

The owls inhabit grasslands, shrublands and deserts, as well as “human-altered landscapes,” including agricultural lands, golf courses and cattle pastures, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Anne Hilborn told the commission. “The things that they really need are burrows and short vegetation,” with the burrows primarily appropriated from ground squirrels, she said.

Sprawl development and control efforts targeting ground squirrels have pushed the owls out of the areas they dwell in, while renewable-energy projects and some types of agriculture also have infringed on their digs, according to conservationists.

The burrowing owl is a California species of special concern, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service bird of conservation concern, and has protections under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. It is not listed under the federal Endangered Species Act.

“Burrowing owls cannot wait any longer,” Miller told the commission. “And I’ll just say, personally, I love this species. And I’d like to see them around for future generations throughout the state.”

As California farms use less Colorado River water, worries grow over shrinking Salton Sea Oct. 13, 2024

Home building, agriculture and solar and wind energy industry representatives rejected some assertions made by the petitioners while underscoring their contributions to top state goals, such as moving away from fossil fuels and increasing housing.

Shannon Eddy, executive director of the Large-Scale Solar Assn., who supported exploring listing the owls, said the petitioners made unsubstantiated claims about the effect of solar projects on the species.

Eddy said solar projects had protected the owls’ grasslands and that they’d been known to return to solar energy development sites once construction was completed.

“We are a country divided, and we need to stand against false rhetoric,” she said during public comment, “and we need to dispel the kind of specious assertions like these that turn regulators and the public against one of our best tools to address the climate crisis.”

Clark Morrison, a natural resources attorney representing the California Building Industry Assn., said the industry “does find itself facing great challenges because of the pace of listings and other regulatory changes in the state.”

“These do have an impact on the provision of housing,” he told the commission. “They slow projects down. In many cases, the projects are abandoned because the regulatory challenges can’t be met.”

Miller, however, argued that the development threatening the owls is urban sprawl, often characterized by low-density housing — not areas where affordable housing is built.

Wildlife officials said they do not see elevating the owl to candidate status as undercutting other priorities.

“I appreciate how important all of those dimensions of what’s happening in the state are and also how urgent the situation is for the owl,” commission Vice President Erika Zavaleta said.

The owl, now a candidate to be listed under the state Endangered Species Act, will enjoy the same protections as if it was listed while a 12- to 18-month status review moves forward.

“After decades of effort to safeguard declining burrowing owl populations in California, the species has finally been afforded interim state protections where they’re most needed — at least for the time being,” said Pamela Flick, California program director with Defenders of Wildlife, in a statement.

Once the review is complete, the Fish and Game Commission will decide whether to deem the owls — statewide or certain populations — threatened or endangered under state law.

From Justin Rogers

Well hello old friend it's been MONTHS since I've seen you! Glad to see you've survived another season.