Superbowl

From NM Wildlife Center

Most of the animals we admit to our hospital come to us because they have encountered one of the many anthropogenic, or human-caused, dangers in the wild. Great Horned Owl 24-910 is no exception: this bird suffered multiple injuries to his wings when he collided with a barbed wire fence. Barbed wire is dangerous to a lot of animals, but owls are especially susceptible. Most owls hunt in the dark or in very low light, and they fly low to the ground as they swoop down to catch their prey. A barbed wire fence can be nearly invisible in the dark and just the right height to snare a raptor as they fly down to catch their dinner.

The fence caused injuries to both of 24-910's wings. Since so much skin was damaged at the injury sites, it was not possible to simply sew the holes closed. Instead, Dr. Avery - with assistance from Wildlife Rehabilitation Manager Stephanie - carefully removed some healthy skin from an uninjured area near the owl's leg, sutured that area closed, and used the skin graft to patch one of the barbed wire injuries on 24-910's wing! The other injuries were patched in a similar way using a hydrocolloid wound dressing instead of a skin graft.

Just a few days after surgery, the skin graft site is healing well and so are the barbed wire injuries on 24-910's wings! The final photo in this series shows the area where the graft was applied and was taken just 4 days after surgery. Barbed wire injuries can be complex to treat and can involve damage to tendons, nerves, and other important structures, but so far we are pleased with 24-910's progress. As you can see in the first photo, this patient definitely still has the fierce attitude of a Great Horned Owl, which is a great sign!

I'll spare you guys the pokey pictures, but the recovery one was too good. The graft looked to be healing very well though, as they mentioned.

From Pedro Nun

Eurasian Scops

Madrid

From TB3 Photography

I was on my phone with my wife when I saw it sitting on this driftwood in the distance. My exact words were, "Holy S&*%! That's a Snowy Owl."

It's been almost two years since I've seen one. Last year they were non-existent, so to see one so early in the season this year is very hopeful.

It didn't stick around for long, however. While I was sure to keep my distance (this image is cropped), it was watching me very closely and flew off very quickly.

From Rob Urquhart

My favorite owl pic from last year. Northern Harrier and SEO battle over rodent.

In the pic, I couldn't tell which, if, either one, still had possession of the mouse.

I found the photographer shared the photo on that other Superbowl community you may have heard of, and he said the Shortie was the one with a full belly in the end.

Hit post by accident on an incomplete draft and didn't want to see a dead post hanging out on my feed. Here's a Long Eared Owl to fill it in with something nice but simple.

From Michelle Osterhus

So excited to spend some time with these guys again this winter!

From Simon Dentremont

This Snowy Owl (in French, Harfang des neiges) was sitting up on a bank, waiting for the sun to set to go hunting. I positioned myself so the setting sun was behind it for a nice portrait, when it decided to leave its perch, luckily for me, in my direction. One of my favorite pics all year. I especially like the sunset highlights on those furry legs and kicked-up snow. Nova Scotia, Canada, Jan 2022.

From Andrew Kawa

Barred owl hunting frogs in a small pond.

From Dan Minicucci

Pushing the limits of what is possible for photography.

By it's very definition photography comes from the Greek words phõtós, meaning "light", and graphé, meaning "representation by means of lines' or "drawing".

In this case the light, barely any, is the bright open sky from the left and the nearly full moon on the right of the frame. The time stamp on this image is 5:03 pm a full 25 minutes after sunset!

Leaning completely on the capability of modern technology this image is possible. The exposure information is : 5000 f/4 2.5" Canon R5 Canon 60Omm f/4 lens. I did the math to compare this to the technology started my career with nearly 40 years ago.

The fastest film was 400 so converting that film speed to an equivalent exposure would result in an exposure of a whopping 32 seconds! In other words - a total impossibility to capture an owl preparing to exit its roost and hunt for the night.

So enjoy the fruits of technology and dedication to spend another night with my camera in the company of beautiful nature.

From Aaron Throness

My first eastern screech owl of the season was a sleepy one, but more than made up for its drowsiness with being just downright cute! The other day, it leapt out of its cavity just as the sun was setting and availed itself for a few photogenic portraits before darkness blanketed the woods. I hadn't seem him/her for almost half a year, so it was a great relief and just as great a thrill to hold a reunion!

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!