Superbowl

From Thomas Harris

From Linda E Imke

> I have been checking this tree often I had a feeling there might be an owl using this tree cavity. This morning I saw the barred owl in the beautiful morning sun. I think the tree is as cool as the owl! Shelby County. March 2nd, 2025

From John Rodriguez Jr

> Momma Great Horned Owl keeping a watchful eye but allowing me to take a few photos of her owlets up in a tree. > >Brooks County, Texas >3/9/25 >Sony A7Rii >Sigma 150-600

From Gillian Byck Overholser

> To me, there is NOTHING quite as charming and as silly as a baby Burrowing Owl...

From Antonius Lo

> Eastern Screech Owl (Megascops asio ). > Southern Ontario, Canada. > EM-1X n M Zuiko Pro 300+ MC-14 @ f/5.6 SS 1/80 ISO 320

From James Overesch

> I've always liked this photo lol a snowy owl doing some yoga in the afternoon light 😂 > > Photographed in Wisconsin

> From Monash University > >Every year, tens of thousands of land birds make a long flight across Bass Strait – the stretch of water separating Tasmania from continental Australia. > >Well-known for its high winds and rough seas, crossing Bass Strait is no small feat for these migrating land birds. Migration is stressful for birds, as they encounter inhospitable environments, predators, and weather changes while expending peak energy. > >But how exactly do these birds traverse this daunting stretch of ocean? > >Understanding this is more crucial than ever. New developments proposed in Bass Strait, particularly offshore wind farms, may introduce challenges for migrating birds. And until now, no one has looked closely at the movement pathways of these little migrants. > >Our new research tracked the migration paths of Tasmanian boobooks, Ninox leucopsis, as they crossed from Victoria to Tasmania. > >We found the Tasmanian boobook was indeed a regular migrant across Bass Strait – making it Australia’s only migratory owl. Rather than island-hopping, these small owls completed the roughly 250-kilometre flight across the strait in a single night, in one continuous flight. > >These insights may help us protect birds in a rapidly changing world. > >Tagging and tracking the Tasmanian boobook > >As their name suggests, Tasmanian boobooks are common across Tasmania, and were once considered endemic to the island. Over time, they were occasionally spotted in mainland Australia, with scattered records in Victoria and elsewhere. > >In recent years, a more consistent pattern was revealed when keen birdwatchers discovered small numbers of these owls perched on Cape Liptrap, southeast of Melbourne, in spring. Could these birds actually be migrants about to make the Bass Strait crossing after winter on the mainland? > >With thermal cameras, special nets, and lightweight miniature GPS-tracking devices in hand, we travelled to the southeast Victorian coast to catch five Tasmanian boobooks at these headlands. > >Once we attached the tracking devices, we could follow their movements for up to three weeks before the tags failed and were dislodged. >researcher attaches tracker to owl >Researchers attached tracking devices to the owls. Photo: Jessica Zhou > >Fascinating findings > >We found the Tasmanian boobook is Australia’s only migratory owl. In fact, it is what’s known as a “partial migrant”. This means while some birds of the species migrate, many other individuals remain in Tasmania year-round. > >Three of our tagged birds departed southeast Victoria in October and November. They began their nonstop journeys at dusk and arrived in northern Tasmania early the following morning. > >Two continued moving further inland to central Tasmania over subsequent nights and eventually settled at elevations of around 750 metres. > >These observations suggest the migrating Tasmanian boobooks may be fleeing harsh winter conditions at high elevation areas. This phenomenon, known as altitudinal migration, has been observed in other Tasmanian birds such as the flame robin and crescent honeyeater. > >We also discovered unexpected variety in the Tasmanian boobook migration patterns. Some birds left from Cape Liptrap, and others from Wilsons Promontory, at the southern tip of Victoria. > >They also flew at varying speeds under a surprising range of weather conditions, including headwinds upon departure. This is in an impressive feat for an owl, which weighs just 210-240 grams, and probably undertakes the crossing by continuously flapping its wings. >New clues and questions about other Bass Strait migrants > >Bird migration in the southern hemisphere is little-studied compared with northern hemisphere migration. > >In Australia, movement patterns are particularly complex and variable due to the vast scale of the continental landmass, the variable geography such as mountains, deserts, and islands, and unpredictable climate. > >At least 24 species migrate across Bass Strait. They range from songbirds and raptors to the critically endangered orange-bellied parrot and swift parrot. > >Much of what we know comes from limited land-based observations. The Tasmanian boobooks we tracked give us just a small insight into the many migratory journeys across Bass Strait. > >However, the variation we observed in just three migratory tracks for a single species raises questions about other Bass Strait migrants. > >Are islands less crucial as stopover points than previously thought? Even for species like the orange-bellied parrot, which does use islands, it remains plausible many individuals might cross Bass Strait in a single non-stop flight. > >These unanswered questions about bird movement across Bass Strait is not just a matter of curiosity. >Hazards old and new > >Migratory birds are exposed to a greater range of threats than non-migratory birds. Crossing Bass Strait means risking inclement weather, artificial lighting, and collision with boats or oil rigs. Now, new developments may also present novel challenges. > >Australia is rapidly expanding its renewable energy sector, including offshore wind. > >Several areas in Bass Strait have been declared by the federal government as priority areas for wind farm development, and many projects are already being planned. > >These developments are essential for reducing emissions and combating climate change. But how do we balance the necessary transition to clean energy, while minimising direct harm to biodiversity? > >Offshore wind farms can displace birds from their routes, or worse, introduce collision risks. > >Environmental assessments are a mandatory part of wind farm development in Australia, but they need to be informed by robust ecological data. > >Understanding the basic ecology of land-bird migration is crucial. We need to know where the threats to migratory birds are highest, which species are at risk of collisions, and how to mitigate these threats as the transition to renewable energy continues.

From Ann Lindner

> GHO, whoo are you??? > Montgomery County, Dayton, Ohio > 3-3-2025

From Ricky Sinfield

> A few different Barn Owls photographed recently.

From Melvin Legge

> The vole didn't stand a chance. > > Great Gray Owl > > Ottawa > > Jan 2025 > > Not baited and shot at a respectful distance with a 600mm lens.

From Sean Feeney

> This little fluff ball was kind enough to sit still for a 5 second exposure, while it was totally dark out. Red Morph Eastern Screech Owl. ISO5000, LR edited

From Mi Es

> Sure, let's take a drive via the Massachusetts scenic bypass that runs all the way up to past the Merrimac Valley. The coastal road scenery is just breathtaking. > >All of the sudden i spot a white speck from afar but I ignored it until I stopped to get gas and a gentlemen saw my gear and asked are you hunting something and I says no I'm a photographer. You guys may know when I'm out photographing I'm on full camo lol. > >Anyways, the gentleman asks what are you looking for. I says anything really. He says, well did you see the snowy owl down by the pier. I says I thought i saw something but it looked like a white bag. He says nope it's a snowy and it's been there for 48 hours. > >I made the fastest UTurn and went back and lo and behold he was right - not a bag but a Snowy hanging out by the rocks. Awesome. Thank Mr ...

From Radical Raptors

This photo gives us a look at some parts of the Barn Owl we don't normally get to see so closely.

Lovely white down on the flanks.

The comb-like serrations in the flight feathers.

The bristly leg feathers.

The grippy pads on the bottom of the feet.

And of course those pointy talons!

From Calvin Schnure

> Compare the photo on the left vs right. > > The two photos are of the same bird, a Northern hawk-owl, taken within an hour of each other. What's going on? The hawk-owl owl normally looks a bit plump, with an oval-shaped body. But if a predator is nearby (I saw a Rough-winged hawk soaring earlier in the afternoon) they sit up straight and tall and try to look thin. > >Presumably this makes them less obvious (does it think it looks like a stick?) or less appetizing to the predator. > >Northern hawk-owl >Sax-Zim Bog >March 3, 2025

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From Scott Wells

> Goose tries to take over Great Horned Owls nest. Momma GHO fought off the goose to protect her nest and two owlets. No harm to the owl family. Montgomery County, OH 3-19-2025

From Ali Cabang

> Northern Hawk Owl staving at Airbnb 😁

From Brian Patrick O'Neill

> My first and best encounter with a Snowy Owl a few years ago. Little Compton RI

This must be Ice Cube! 🧊 😝

From AARK

> Slow Down for Screech Owls! 🦉🚗 > >Right now, we have multiple screech owls in our care who were struck by vehicles. Sadly, this is an all-too- common situation, and many of these tiny owls suffer serious injuries like head trauma, wing fractures, or severe ocular trauma. > >Why do owls get hit so often? > >🦉Low-Flying Hunters - Screech owls fly low to the ground while searching for prey, putting them right in the path of cars. > >🦉Streetlights & Headlights - Artificial lights attract insects, which attract owls. Bright headlights can also stun them, making it harder for them to react in time. > >🦉Freezing Instinct - When startled, owls often freeze instead of flying away, making them even more vulnerable on the road. > >🚦How You Can Help: > >✓ Slow down at night, especially in wooded or rural areas. > >✓ Dim your high beams when possible to reduce blinding and disorienting wildlife. > >✔ Be aware of your surroundings and alert for movement on the road. > >Every careful driver can make a difference! Let's protect these incredible nocturnal hunters and give them a fighting chance. If you find an injured owl, contact a licensed wildlife rehabber immediately.

From Dan Oh

> At 5:22PM (Sunset time was 5:34PM). Snowy Owl flying toward the sunset, the golden hour. > > Must have had a fresh kill with little blood marks on the face and talons.

From Terry Jeffery

> While outside last night heating up the BBQ, I noticed an owl sitting high up on a spruce tree 3 doors down. It was a little past 6pm and the sun was setting and getting darker out. > >I quickly ran into the house to get my camera and casually walked the short distance down the street hoping not to scare it away. Being so high up in the tree, he was still bathed in the sun's setting rays. What a beautiful sight to see. > >I spent about 10 minutes with him before it finally leaped of the tree and swooped down towards me passing about 15 feet above me on the opposite curb. > >There was just a light swoosh as it went by me and then proceeded to fly to another spruce tree behind me overlooking the Maple Leaf School field. > >I was excited as this is my first photo of a Great Horned Owl or any owl for that matter.

From Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge

> Whether you consider that sound at night to be haunting or adorable, most of us agree that eastern screech owls don't really 'screech'. If you haven't heard one, you're missing out! > >These little guys depend on tree cavities like this to nest, but they don't make their own! That's why they take advantage of standing dead trees and even manmade nest boxes to raise their young. > >Despite being well-off in relativity to other bird species, eastern screech owls declined by roughly 37% from 1996 to 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. This lucky shot from one of our refuge volunteers is truly a remarkable sighting!

From Marcin Bondarczuk

> A young tawny owl, his actions closely watched by his parent. > >Sony A7iii, Sony 200-600 G OSS 500mm iso 12800 f 6.3 1.3 ev 1/800s > >10.03.2025 > > Poland

From Christine's Critters

> Happy St. Patrick's Day! > >While we're all celebrating the day with festive green outfits and food, it's the perfect time to talk about the green many of our patients wear-but the green they are sporting is bruises! > >Did you know that instead of turning black and blue like ours, bird bruises show up as green? This is because birds break down hemoglobin differently, producing biliverdin, which gives their bruises a shamrock-green hue. So, if you ever notice a greenish patch on a bird, it might just be an injury they're healing from! > >This St. Paddy's Day remember all the birds in rehab "wearing" their shamrock green bruises and send them some good wishes! Have a safe and happy St Patrick's Day ☘️

Both birds have recovered from their injuries according to the captions!

From Julia Pinkerton

> Beautiful barred owl I stumbled upon during my walk!! I had owls on my mind when I heard her call. I followed a tufted titmouse causing a commotion to find her tree and there was that sweet face looking down at me!!! Im obsessed with her hole that looks just like her! Owlception! > >Cuyahoga County >Canon d70 >Sigma 150-600mm 2.21.25

From Iain James

> Short Eared Owls, 24/02/25. > >I had the pleasure this afternoon of waiting out a rain shower with Brian Hardy and his wife Pauline in one of the new hides. After the rain passed, your eyes had to be everywhere! > >I know the pages have a lot of Owls these days, but I couldn't believe how lucky I was to get these views today. Thank you to Brian and Pauline for pointing out the ones behind me > >A beautiful day, with a beautiful bird!

From Brad Bradley

> A Great Grey Owl Begins Its Day As The Sun Sets > >Central Alberta > >Feb. 2025

From Izzy Edwards

> Gorgeous peeling Madrone with a stunning Northern Spotted Owl to match. I love Madrone trees and I really love owls so this was one of those thrilling moments I've observed that I'll remember forever! ❤️

From Kow Hao Rui

> Buffy fish owl @ Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve, Singapore on 23 February 2025

From Birdscapes Nature Photography

> This owl was not happy with the hawk that decided to land nearby! Don't worry, we left after the owl went into defense mode. But it was crazy watching this owl go from sleepy to buffed and ready to brawl in seconds.

From Izzy Edwards

> Did you know about this teeny tiny owl species that is summering here in Washington state? > >Meet the Flammulated Owl (Psiloscops flammeolus) a 6-inch-tall raptor that primarily preys on insects. The Flammulated is Washington's smallest owl species by weight with males weighing just under 2 OZ. > >This secretive species spends their time down in southern Mexico during the winter months, but return to the PNW every spring for breeding. This makes them the longest travelers of any owl species in America. Their long rounded wings are built for distance, not for silence, Flammulated Owls are one of the only owls that doesn't have a completely silent flight. They have no use for it, hunting moths at night the element of surprise isn't imperative. > >They thrive at high elevation pine forests, primarily on the eastern side of the cascades. During June they call for a mate, most active well after sunset. If you are ever out camping in the mountains around Cle Elum or Leavenworth, I encourage you to listen for this small species. They might be out hooting just before you go to bed. > >(Owls handled for a research project with the species, all permitted by federal wildlife officials. Please don't handle wild birds for fun.)

From Harold Wilion

> First shots I got of a red Screech for a couple weeks. Wouldn't give me a total over the shoulder look, but at least I got an eye. I wanted her to look to her right instead because I loved the pattern on the branches with the little fruits over there and would have loved to cropped differently to take advantage of that, but she wouldn't comply. All kinds of crazy colors reflecting off the tree from street, head and tail lights and a large high rise apartment building across the street lending some more interesting color

From Sean Eaton

> Short Eared Owls, Southwest British Columbia > >Spent an excellent morning yesterday photographing my favourite owls hunting for breakfast and dodging the occasional red-winged blackbird. > >March is usually the month when most of these raptors begin their long journey back up north, so any chance to observe them is not to be missed. March 2025

From Robert Bateman

> The owl is perched on some driftwood along the edge of a winter lake. I enjoy speculating on the driftwood's origins and the adventures it has had to bring it to this spot, thus becoming a lowly perch for an elegant bird. > > The snowy owl is a special bird to me. It was one of the most exciting birds, which I dreamed of seeing in my early teen years. It symbolized the great Canadian North. The snowy owl is the most famous bird of the far north, and it is my favorite. Since my boyhood birding days, I have seen snowy owls during their winter sojourn in southern Canada. > > The sighting of each snowy owl was so special I can remember almost every one.

From Rescue Station and Nature House Poodří, Bartošovice

> We have been dedicated to saving the barn owl population for a long time, including raising our own chicks and preparing them for release in suitable locations in our region. > >We place mature chicks, in appropriate condition and already able to hunt natural prey, in a pre-selected location. Usually in a large, spacious barn, where they are fed for several weeks until they become completely independent, and at the same time, a safe nesting box is placed in the building, inaccessible to potential predators. Of course, this is all in agreement with the owners. > >The placed group of barn owls (usually 4-6 individuals) is formed from unrelated individuals. It happens, but it is not a rule, that a mating pair is formed, which occupies the location as a nesting territory. > >It seems that this time we succeeded in doing this in one village in the Bílovec region, where this beautiful owl historically nested. > >It should be added that they have relatively ideal food conditions here and peace and full understanding from the owners of the property and adjacent agricultural lands.

See Previous Post for Background

From Tamarack Wildlife Center

> Owlet Update: Muppet on the Move > >Muppet, a precocious young Great Horned Owl with an adventurous spirit, was recently treated for minor injuries at Tamarack after falling 100' from her nest in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park. Thanks to a dedicated team-including Pittsburgh City Park Rangers and Foresters, as well as TWC staff and volunteers-Muppet was reunited with her family on March 11! > >Muppet spent her first night back in an artificial nest, but true to her bold nature, she soon decided to explore her surroundings. For a six-week-old Great Horned Owl, "branching" is completely normal, as owls begin testing their balance and coordination before they learn to fly. > >By day two, following her return, she was perched on a branch near her artificial nest. By day three, Muppet had come down to the ground and made her way over to a hillside near one of her father's roost trees. While being on the ground can be normal for a "branching age" Great Horned Owl, it can be a hazardous location so one of our rehabbers was sent to give her a quick exam-but Muppet had other plans! She had climbed up a steep embankment and safely tucked herself into an inaccessible crevice. A visual check by our staff confirmed she was alert, upright, and vigorous. > >Since then, experienced volunteers have been keeping a close eye on her, and on March 14 and 15, welfare checks found her 30' high in a tree, perched confidently on a branch-just as a young Great Horned Owl should be! At night, she is heard calling back and forth with her parents, who are locating her by sound to deliver meals. > >Muppet seems to be getting as close as she can to her owlet sibling who is still in the nest under Panther Hollow Bridge. By about 9 weeks of age, she should be flying well but will remain with her parents through the summer, until they encourage her to disperse in September or October.

From Salthaven Wildlife Rehab Center

> What if animals feel more than we ever realized? > >Animals feel emotions just like we do-joy, fear, love, grief, and everything in between. From a dog's wagging tail to a grieving Orca, the emotional intelligence of animals is undeniable. At Salthaven, we see firsthand how wildlife express their feelings and how respecting those emotions strengthens our bond with them. > >Want to learn more about how animals experience emotions and why it matters? Read our latest blog post!