Superbowl
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For owls that are superb.
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The bracket is made!
I think this year's lineup is an improvement over last year. Based on what I've seen, all the opening matches look very competitive. My goal was to fix some of the lop-sided wins we had, and I'm feeling good about how this schedule looks.
There's going to be some tough choices for you guys. Much like last year, I'm glad I don't need to decide, but I'm still going to have to accept some painful loses at some point. I try to keep impartial during the tournament, but I definitely have some personal favorites. Sooty vs GHO is one where I'm not looking forward to saying goodbye to either one.
You guys didn't nominate my beloved Spotted Wood Owl. Buff Fronted got in, which I was happy for, but its first opponent is last year's winner.
I'm excited to see the Battle of the Southern Hemisphere between Australia's Barking Owl and NZ's Morepork.
We've got Eurasia's biggest owls going head-to-head.
Snowy, Burrowing, and Buffy are all up against some flashy newcomers where we could have a surprise victory like the unexpected triumphs the Flammulated Owl had last year,
I think I will start the games Wed, 4 DEC after I get back from some travel. Then we've got a little over 2 weeks of excitement to crown this year's winner. I'll put the final 4 owls in the banner again and the winner gets the icon.
Got a personal favorite you're ready to cheer on to victory?
Let me know which matches you are most looking forward to or dreading the most!
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From Grove Smith
I can now check the Snowy Owl off my list of birds for my lifetime photo collection. Here's a wide and tight crop; it's just one of over 2,500 photos I took yesterday. Snoy A1, 600 f/4
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From Izzy Edwards
A festive Northern Saw-whet Owl emerges from its dense roost to hunt in the holly after sunset.
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From Gila Wildlife Rescue
We have been pretty quiet in the rescue up until a couple of days ago. We received this Elf owl from the El Paso Zoo to finish out its rehab with us. It was found in Dona Ana County and couldn't fly and taken to the zoo. It had an injured wing. He's only about 4 inches tall and is an adult. His wing span is 9 inches and weighs 1 1/2 ounces. He's a little fella. We will have him through the winter since he missed his migration to Mexico.
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From Hoo's Woods
Good Morning, Joe!
This is Joe our newest rehab patient-a tiny Eastern Screech Owl with quite a story.
Joe was rescued by a compassionate 13-year-old boy after being found tangled in netting. Thankfully, help arrived in time.
While Joe didn't suffer any broken bones, he's recovering from sprains and strains and needs time to heal. His mother did everything right by contacting us immediately rather than just releasing Joe.
The good news is his prognosis for a full recovery is very good.
Why the name Joe? His size is comparable to an average coffee cup-your classic 'cup of Joe."
Joe will be staying with us at Hoo's Woods for a little while as he continues his rehab journey. Let's send good vibes to the young man who cared and to Joe for a speedy recovery.
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From Mike Lentz
When the light starts to fade, these little Eastern Screech Owls start popping up!
These guys move around from cavity to cavity in these old growth woods, so you just need to either keep looking or get good intel from buddies. :)
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From Katey Buster
PEEK-A- BOO !! After many hours standing in a stiff breeze of 10° wind chill, this lovely female Snowy Owl popped out of her little roosting spot and up onto the top of the jetty in fast fading light.... my digits were so frozen from Raynaud's Syndrome that had to try different fingers to depress the shutter. finally did get a shot of her and also a photo of her in the distance on the jetty as well as her playing hide and seek for most of the day! My first look at such an iconic creature in all her feathered glory! (West Central Ohio)
From Mayo Clinic
Raynaud's Syndrome causes some areas of the body — such as fingers and toes — to feel numb and cold in response to cold temperatures or stress. In Raynaud's disease, smaller blood vessels that supply blood to the skin narrow. This limits blood flow to affected areas, which is called vasospasm.
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From Mike Lentz
Always rewarding when I can get a Long-Eared Owl out in an open field perched nicely as these guys are extremely flighty! Generally they are in the thickest woods making it a challenge for a clean photo op, but not always. :)
I like it when the snow fall stays and we get that bounce light from the white instead of the dark shadows on the subject or in the grassy shadows as it makes for a more visually appealing photo IMH0.
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From Animal Welfare League of Arlington
🎄Twas the week before Christmas, and perched on the tree was an unexpected visitor as majestic as can be! 🎄
This beautiful Barred Owl decided to play Santa and drop in-literally-through the chimney of a local home, and declared himself the newest star on top of their Christmas tree (look closely - you'll see he knocked the old star over to make room for himself). Sgt Murray answered the call, gently capturing our feathered friend and safely releasing it back into the wild.
P.S. This is a great reminder to keep your chimneys capped this season to prevent curious critters from coming to visit!
There were lots of great comments, with many people posting their own accidental indie owl stories or owl ornamentation. Very fun post!
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From World Bird Sanctuary
It is officially hooting season!
Hooting season is the time of year when owls hoot more frequently to establish territory, find mates, and get ready for breeding. Owls will begin defending their territory and courting their mates in late fall, and the breeding season wil go throughout winter and early spring. Depending on the species, eggs may even begin hatching in early January.
Some of our owls may court their roommates, but some of them court the staff. Cecil, the great horned owl, is a human imprint. Someone illegally raised him from a chick, and he does not see himself as an owl. He sees other great horned owls as a threat. So according to Cecil, humans are the proper mate instead! He has been hooting frequently to get the attention of his favorite people, and even tries to bring them gifts such as this leaf!
While we must admit it is a very impressive leaf, we must turn down his advances. Don't feel too bad for Cecil's unrequited love though, as he gets to spend his days hanging out with the people he prefers.
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From Bryce Gaudian
From posts I've read on a number of Facebook Owl and Birding groups, there are A LOT of people who have yet to see or have had an opportunity to photograph a Northern Saw-whet Owl.
I was in communication this morning with perhaps the most legendary steward and finder of Northern Saw-whet Owls on the planet - Don Poggensee of lda Grove, lowa.
Don is happy to help anyone who reaches out to him to see and photograph these amazingly special owls if they are willing to drive down to lda Grove, lowa to a park where, for this his 40th year, he literally goes out every morning from November to March to find them and then calls whoever is on his list for that day if he is successful in finding one or more, to call them to drive on down.
To date, Don has shown OVER 8,000 people -- yes, 8,000+ people have seen and photographed Northern Saw whet Owls that Don has found.
Myself and a friend drove down there several weeks ago when Don had found two for us to photograph. He told me this morning he has been finding two almost every morning consistently.
Don said he would love to hear from anyone desiring to see and photograph a Northern Saw- whet Owl. He told me to share his Cell number for you to call him directly and get on his list for whatever day works for you if he finds one that morning. You can feel free to Message me for his number and I will give it to you.
You can look on a map and see if you are willing to drive to lda Grove, Iowa to finally fulfill your dream of seeing a Northern Saw-whet Owl if that dream is yet unfulfilled.
I commend Don on the gift he has given so many and continues to do so at age 80!! You can know that Don has the deepest respect, stewardship, and dedication to Northern Saw-whet Owls. His observations of Northern Saw-whet Owls for over forty years could fill a book. (By the way he does not charge anything. He does this out of sheer kindness.)
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This year's race was a bit closer than last year's. With much back and forth during the bulk of voting, the community eventually determined our new champion and the owl that will lead us into the new year!
This owl spends much of its life mostly alone in the far away taiga. It is not as blessed as other owls when it comes to size and strength. It needs to make a long and arduous journey each year to avoid the worst conditions of the place it calls home. Though it fits in the palm of your hand, it needs the heart and determination to keep itself and its family safe every day from much larger predators. It lets none of this stop it from being a true champion amongst owls. This is our Owl of the Year: the Saw Whet Owl!
Thank you everyone that voted and participated in any of the events. I think the event organization went a little nicer with some experience from last year. Matchmaking felt better, we had some close races and just about all felt competitive. I liked giving you some choice in the owl participants.
Last year we were at 2100 subs at the time of the games, and now it's almost 3400. It's a lot of work keeping this community going and looking at last year's winner post, there are more names in there that I recognize that I had expected.
I'm glad you all have been a big part of making our group what it is today. This wouldn't be the same place without you and your consistent participation. We've lost a few regulars this year, but we've gained a bunch as well that keep this place lively with good questions, comments, and jokes.
I hope everyone continues to have a good time here into the new year. And for now, enjoy your new Owl of the Year!
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In Owl of the Year, I discussed the Barn Owl being one of the most well studied of all owls. That doesn't mean we've come anywhere close to understanding all their secrets. I can't across this interesting article, and it explorers done theories about why the Barn Owl, which hunts at night, is bright white instead of a dark color like most owls.
From AccuWeather
An owl’s ‘shocking’ color should hinder hunting. Scientists may have figured out why it works.
By Katie Hunt, CNN
17 DEC 2024
(CNN) — Flying slowly and silently through the night sky, barn owls are majestic nocturnal hunters that successfully prey on rodents scurrying along the ground below.
Scientists have long puzzled over a feature that would appear to handicap the bird during its midnight hunts. The plumage on its underbelly and wings is gleaming white, an unusual trait that in theory should make it more difficult for the owl to approach its prey undetected.
Unlike the snowy owl, the barn owl lives at latitudes where it doesn’t regularly snow. The barn owl’s paradoxically bright plumage baffled biologist Juanjo Negro and his colleagues, who thought the intriguing biological phenomenon warranted further investigation.
“We started from the intuitive feeling that the outstanding whiteness of the barn owl is so shocking that it should imply some adaptive advantage,” said Negro, a research professor at Doñana Biological Station–Spanish National Research Council in Seville, Spain, via email.
Previous research from September 2019 had suggested that bright white coloration was essentially a form of shock and awe, exploiting rodents’ aversion to bright light. Making the predator more visible to the rodent prey, which freeze in fear, the owls’ whiteness made voles easier to kill, the prior study found.
Negro and his team’s latest research suggests instead that the barn owl’s brilliant white plumage is in fact a form of nocturnal camouflage or counter-illumination that gives the hunter an element of surprise.
Barn owl’s feathers match the moonlight The bird’s white reflective underside effectively mimics moonlight, according to the new study describing the team’s findings that published in the journal PNAS on Monday. The bright plumage allows its silhouette to blend into the nocturnal sky and makes it harder for mice or other rodents to spot the owl.
“When the moon is visible, the sky has some brightness that varies depending on the observing direction. Under these conditions, a dark bird would be seen by its potential prey as a black silhouette against the sky,” said Negro, the study’s lead author. “But, if the ventral part of the bird is reflective enough, in other words if it is ‘white’ enough, it would reflect a good part of the moon.”
According to the researchers’ calculations, the contrast between the reflective, white undersides of barn owls and wide areas of the illuminated night sky falls below the detection threshold of rodent visual acuity, allowing barn owls to approach prey to within a few meters from a broad range of directions without being detected.
“This explanation has not been proposed before to justify the whiteness of barn owls,” Negro added.
A similar phenomenon exists in the ocean, where fish often have light-colored undersides to match sunlit water and make them less visible to predators hovering in the depths below.
Not all barn owls have white underbellies, however; some have reddish-brown plumage instead.
Negro said the research did not investigate hunting success in relation to plumage color, but earlier research had suggested that whiter barn owls were more efficient hunters than their darker counterparts during a full moon.
Bright-white shock value vs. concealment Barn owl expert Alexandre Roulin, a professor of biology at the University of Lausanne’s department of ecology and evolution who conducted the prior research that suggested the species’ white coloration shocked and immobilized its prey, said he was not fully convinced by the new explanation. However, he said he couldn’t rule it out.
“We do not wish to dismiss the authors’ hypothesis outright. It may, in fact, be complementary to our own. Perhaps at long distances the white plumage aids in camouflage, while at closer range, it may serve to make the owl more visible,” he said via email.
One key aspect Roulin said needed further explanation was the behavior of voles under moonlight.
“We observed that voles remained immobile longer when the approaching owl was white rather than reddish. Previous research has shown that this immobilization is an anti-predator response,” Roulin said. “Based on this, we would argue that the voles recognized the white owl as a predator, suggesting that the owl was visible, rather than camouflaged.”
Negro said the owl’s ability to fly in complete silence, a trait that helps it approach prey in stealth, does not tally with the idea that the predator would want to make itself more visible. However, he agreed that the new hypothesis doesn’t totally disprove the previous theory.
Camouflage is often considered a daytime phenomenon based on light and shade. Negro said that there are likely other forms of animal coloration that served as nighttime camouflage, which has not been as well studied as daytime concealment tactics.
“Nocturnal ecology is an emerging field, and considering that half the animals in the planet are essentially nocturnal, adaptations to the natural cycles of the Moon are surely widespread,” he said.
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From Marie Read
I've picked this Snowy Owl surrounded by blowing snow for my holiday card 2024. Photographed ten years ago, February 2014, in Ontario, Canada.
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From Kerry Platzgraff
Superb Owls! Took these in Costa Rica. Zoos are illegal in Costa Rica but they have rehab/sanctuaries. All animals are rehabbed and released. The few that cannot be released obviously stay. Really enjoyed seeing these beautiful Owls. First one is a Crested Owl and second is a Spectacled Owl. Had to take the picture through a screen but considering still got some good pictures. I almost forgot the Black-and-white Owl. Added to the post.
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Came across this pic and I had to share this once it was out of the tournament.
Even the most beautiful creature has at least one angle that is simply not flattering!
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Wow, those semi-final matches were intense! There was so much back and forth throught the day.
Snowy and Eagle had a number of changes in position during early voting until Eagle Owl got the advantage and stayed ahead for the final few hours.
Saw Whet and our returning champ, White Faced Scops, battled it out for the whole 24 hours! I couldn't say how many times each was on top. The Scops had a fairly easy run of things until the little scapper finally made him work for it if it wanted to stay on top. Finally, with just a handful of last votes, Saw Whet held the lead until time ran out. The champ was defeated!
Now is the moment we've all waited for, the final showdown of the tournament! One owl large, the other small, but today they are here as equals. Only one of them will be our Owl if the Year though!
Both of these owls have earned their places. Saw Whet became a fan favorite, but had some very close matches, especially considering it had some rather tough opponents at every stage. A last win over the Great Horned Owl cemented this little bird as a true fighter and gave it what it needed to finally stop the Scops.
The Eurasian Eagle Owl was barely slowed down by the even larger Blakiston's Fish Owl, the former fan favorite Flammulated Owl, and though the Morepork ran a very strong campaign, it wasn't enough to outshine this massive and powerful owl.
You've faced many hard choices up until now, but this may be the hardest yet. It's time to choose your new champion. On one hand, the mighty mini from the Canadian forests that punches above its weight and has beat all odds. On the other, an owl of undeniable strength and regalness, a true apex hunter. The time is here to decide: who is your new Owl of the Year?
Upvote your final choice now!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
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From Deby Dixon
Absolutely loved watching this pygmy owl as it sat on the willow branches that were covered in hoar frost. Add the mountain background and this was breathtaking.
This busy owl is killing up to 5 voles a day! I'm thinking that it probably only eats about half of one at a time so I am wondering if the owl is thinking about hibernating with its stash once it gets really cold and snowy. LOL.
One of the things that has tickled me the past couple of days has been listening to people ooh and aah over the frozen, sparkly landscape. They can't get over how beautiful this is. I smile, knowingly because there are still those days when Yellowstone is so beautiful in winter, my heart aches. It aches because I can't adequately describe the beauty and don't think I can take a photo that would truly do it justice.
On another note, I watched a pack of wolves, far away, running along ridges at sky line late this afternoon. I could not believe how many elk and deer were way up high.
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From Bucci Photography
Today's Great Grey Owl in the snow looking for breakfast, Unfortunately this owl missed its catch but was successful later on. Saskatchewan, Canada
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From Kimberley Biederman
Just a few of my favorite captures of the Short-eared Owls in Wyondot County last month. November 2024
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From Cynthia Rand
This Screech Owl was startled from the sudden swirl of two squirrels chasing each other around a nearby tree trunk!
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