Superbowl

From Sheila Lane

Great horned owl family. The young one on the left has got the evil stare mastered but the one on the right is still too cute to look mean. Southern Alberta a few years ago.

From PAWS

Our newest intake! This Great Horned Owl came in late last night after being found on the side of a busy road by one of our favorite DNR officers. We suspect he had been hit by a car near there based off his intake assessment. After some care and rest last night he's got his fierce predator face back on

From Eric D Olick

My first post of this sleepy red screech owl at the entrance to her hollow on an artic-cold winter day.

From Marcellus Muller

A few Short Eared Owl flight shots Photographed in Upstate New York on a Nikon D500- Nikkor AF-S 600mm F/4E lens + 1.4t.c

I know this isn't our favorite topic, but I feel it occasionally needs to be addressed. This article, unlike most, isn't sensationalized or promoting only one side of the argument and it also updates us on multiple pending legal cases fighting to save the owls.

It's looking like a real life trolley problem, so as always I am curious to hear your takes on things. It's your planet too, and whatever the outcome here, it will likely set precedent for future scenarios .

From Mercury News

PUBLISHED: January 28, 2025

The Marin Audubon Society has joined a coalition of conservation groups defending a federal plan to kill invasive barred owls in the Pacific Northwest.

The coalition has requested to intervene as co-defendants in two federal lawsuits, one in Oregon and the other in Washington state, to support the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The coalition says the culling, while unfortunate, is needed to protect the threatened northern and California spotted owls.

In addition to the Marin organization, the coalition includes the Environmental Information Protection Center, the Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center in Oregon, Umpqua Watersheds in Oregon and Conservation Northwest in Seattle.

“I’m pleased that the organizations in the northwest took this on and I am hopeful that we’re going to be successful,” said Barbara Salzman, president of the Marin Audubon Society.

“We need to protect our native ecosystem,” Salzman said. “The northern spotted owl is native, and their loss would be significant on our ecosystem.”

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service “barred owl management strategy” approved in August calls for hunting and killing nearly half a million of the birds over 30 years across Washington, Oregon and California. The plan is designed to reduce social competition with northern and California spotted owls, which are more docile raptors than their bigger, bullying cousins, and they are native to the Pacific Northwest.

The three federal parks in Marin where the culling practice would be authorized are the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, Muir Woods National Monument and the Point Reyes National Seashore.

In November, animal welfare groups filed federal lawsuits against the plan in Oregon and Washington calling the strategy inhumane and alleging violations of federal laws.

Both lawsuits argue that the wildlife agency is using the barred owl as a scapegoat for its mismanagement of spotted owl habitat. The suits say the destruction of old growth forests, including through human activities such as logging and development, as well as effects of climate change, are the true reasons for degradation of the spotted owl habitat.

Plaintiffs say barred owls are native to North America and the plan is a violation of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. They also allege that the wildlife agency has violated the National Environmental Policy Act by not fully vetting alternative management options.

Plaintiffs in both suits say its worrisome that the hunting would be allowed to happen at night, which puts the threatened spotted owl at greater risk of being accidentally misidentified as its look-a-like barred owl cousin and killed.

Another concern is that the culling would be allowed in federally designated wilderness areas, which are supposed to be managed by the service in a limited way so the habitats remain unaffected by humans.

“I am disappointed that some groups believe that killing barred owls is necessary to help spotted owls,” said Jennifer Best, director of the Friends of Animals wildlife law program. The organization is the plaintiff in the Oregon case.

“I hope they will come to better understand the shortcomings and dangers of the barred owl kill plan,” Best said. “I also hope that these groups see that the barred owl kill plan will set a dangerous precedent for all wildlife management by interfering with natural competition between animals instead of addressing the root causes that are threatening many species, including habitat destruction and climate change.”

Plaintiffs in the Washington case are equally disappointed.

“We cannot allow a good goal, such as saving the spotted owl, to obscure an inhumane and unworkable plan,” said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. “Not only is the cost of the program in excess of a billion dollars, but it fails to gauge that surviving owls will simply fill the vacuum and occupy nests where shooting previously occurred.”

He said that his organization estimated it could cost about $1.34 billion. The estimate was based on a recent $4.5 million grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to the Hoopa Valley Tribe in Humboldt County to kill up to 1,500 barred owls. Taking that amount, Pacelle said it is estimated to cost about $3,000 per owl.

Salzman said that after years of trying to manage the barred owl problem, wildlife experts have been unsuccessful in proposing alternatives.

“Either way you look at it there is going to be loss: the individuals lost in the culling or the loss of spotted owls as a result of the barred owls being here,” Salzman said. “We’d rather keep the native species.”

Salzman said there could be many unknown and unintended consequences of allowing the barred owl’s continued habitat expansion.

“They’re bigger, more aggressive, they have more varied diets,” Salzman said. “It could create a different condition in our ecosystem.”

Without barred owl management and older forest habitat protections, the spotted owls are likely to go extinct, said Tom Wheeler, executive director at the Environmental Protection Information Center. The organization is part of the coalition with the Marin Audubon Society.

“Barred owl control is well studied and has been shown to be extremely effective in countering barred owl threats to spotted owl survival, recruitment and recovery,” Wheeler said.

A federal judge approved the coalition’s request to intervene in the Washington case. The request in Oregon is pending.

The Fish and Wildlife Service declined to comment, citing the pending litigation.

From Kathy Penner

Deep in thought or just an itchy moment? This Great Grey Owl, surrounded by a fresh winter wonderland, seems to be pondering the arrival of spring.

Central Alberta. Jan, 2025

From Blacklands Prairie Raptor Center

This week on fix 'em Fridays: we got our first baby of the year!

The finder found a young screech owl on the ground with a dog in the yard. The dog stayed away from the baby but they were concerned about a possible wing injury.

It was brought to our center and an exam determined that there was nothing medically wrong with this baby: it could be returned to the nest! The nest is best!

As more babies are born through spring and summer, contact us if you aren't sure what to do if you find a baby raptor on the ground or have questions.

This week's young owl was taken to a tree near the nest and placed on a branch near where the owls were seen. The finders got to witness it climb, using talons and beak, back to its siblings and parents! Again, the nest is best!

From Dave Foreman

Thankful for a good telephoto lens and a owl that likes to sleep by a trail. Photo cropped. Northern Saw-whet Owl - my first.

About a week ago, I shared some info on project TYTO having a conference in Greece. It turns out this is a yet significant event, given some of the current world events!

Read more about this great project of cooperation in trying times, and it probably goes without saying, but if we can keep this about the owls and cooperation, that should help keep this story a positive and inspiring one!

From MPR News

It soars over the borders and divisions of the war-torn Middle East, bringing Arab and Israeli academics together.

An unlikely symbol of cooperation, the barn owl is now getting global attention.

Experts from 12 countries gathered in Greece last week to discuss an effort to help this remarkable predator that began decades ago as an unlikely Israeli-Jordanian collaboration.

The moon-faced, shoebox-sized owl is a ruthless pest controller, protecting crops from rodents and other nuisances.

“A pair of barn owls eats between 2,000 and 6,000 rodents every year, allowing farmers to stop using pesticides,” says Yossi Leshem, professor emeritus at Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology.

But as modern building techniques eliminate the nooks and crannies that shelter their nests, their populations have fallen.

Conservation initiatives aim to protect the barn owl from urban encroachment by creating networks of artificial nests, typically modified plywood boxes, and by cutting down on the use of pesticides and rodenticides that can poison predatory birds.

Leshem pioneered the nesting project in the early 1980s on a community farm.

“From 14 nesting boxes in one kibbutz, it grew into a national project with 5,000 boxes in Israel and partnerships in Jordan, Palestine, Cyprus and Morocco,” he says.

In 2002, Leshem partnered with retired Gen. Mansour Abu Rashid, to bring the boxes to Jordan.

Abu Rashid helped extend the project’s tracking system to Jordan, using lightweight radio transmitters to monitor the birds.

“Barn owls know no boundaries; they fly between Jordan, Palestine, and Israel," said Leshem. "They symbolize cooperation.”

It's a critical region for bird conservation of all kinds, sitting at the junction of long-distance migration routes.

Arab and Israeli scientists have kept their collaboration going during periods of tension and war, including the ongoing conflict in Gaza. When necessary, they switch to online meetings and talks at international conferences.

According to conference officials, the main impact of the war on the owl program recorded so far is the large amount of land destroyed in Lebanon, burning nesting areas and boxes in areas near the Israeli border.

“We never stop; we just keep going,” Leshem says. “That’s why this project is successful.”

Another challenge was overcoming the region’s long-standing superstitions about owls.

In the region, the birds are often regarded as harbingers of bad luck. One theory is that they were often attracted to the light from homes during nighttime vigils for the dying.

In Jordan, imams were enlisted in rural areas to counter the superstition, Abu Rashid says.

“We started awareness programs in schools and universities, engaging local communities. We involved women’s associations because they influence families and communities,” he says. “Children colored in pictures of barn owls.”

Like Leshem, Abu Rashid says science offers unique opportunities for fostering collaboration, even among adversaries.

A former director of Jordanian military intelligence and a senior negotiator in the Jordan-Israel peace accords in the mid-1990s, the retired general has devoted his post-military life to peace initiatives.

“I changed my life after leaving the army, and we’re still working to bring people together from across the Middle East,” he says. “I hope we will succeed.”

He and Leshem, now both in their late 70s, have presented the barn owl initiative to global leaders, including the late U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Pope Francis.

Swiss scientist Alexandre Roulin said that barn owl nesting projects are gaining traction in Europe, helping populations recover after nesting sites in traditional barns and farm attics disappeared.

“This bird is widespread worldwide. The model we’ve implemented can be replicated in many other countries, including the United States and Asia,” says Roulin, a professor at the University of Lausanne.

“It’s a nocturnal bird surrounded by mystery and superstition, but it’s fascinating,” he adds. “They’re one of the only nocturnal predators that are white. Why white? Research suggests their white feathers reflect moonlight, creating a ghostly appearance that startles prey.”

Barn owls also have near surround vision, swiveling their heads up to 270 degrees, far beyond a human’s 170 degrees. Their eerie screeches, unlike the gentler hoots of other owls, adds to their reputation as formidable predators.

The conference in Greece, which concluded Friday, was the third of its kind since 2018, when participants came from just four countries. This year, new attendees included Germany, Georgia, and Ukraine. Organizers hope to welcome delegations from dozens more countries at next year’s meeting in Geneva, Switzerland.

The conference attendees, who also traveled to farming areas in central Greece, exchanged knowledge on a variety of subjects including “soft release” methods to adapt zoo-reared owls to natural conditions.

Vasileios Bontzorlos, who headed the Greek environmental group TYTO and hosted the conference, said that interest is growing across countries.

“Agriculture officials are becoming more open to natural solutions. That's a huge milestone for us,” Bontzorlos says.

“Years ago, I visited Israel, Jordan, and Palestine and sat at the same table with people from all three nationalities,” he says. “Hosting these discussions in Greece gives me hope. At a time when we often only hear bad news, this shows that collaboration is possible, even in difficult circumstances. It’s incredibly moving.”

From John Saleda

Coolest Cowl Ever!!! Perfect Leopard Skin Pattern Tribute... Has the intricacy of the finest knit pattern...fantastic feather tapestry... Hold my Beer Batman... Your Cowl is Now in a distant Second place... this little Bobcat of the Sky is Purrrrrrrrfect. This Short-eared Owl is a Marsh Superstar Cool Cat

He looks so polite

Found a great post today, a Tasmanian Masked Owl!

They are the largest Tyto (Barn) Owl, and also the second biggest owl of Australia after the Powerful Owl.

I think the masked owls are very beautiful, so I hope you enjoy!

From Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Meet "Idun" the Tasmanian Masked Owl!

Our 24/7 Wildlife Rescue Service received a call for ldun earlier this week when a member of the public spotted him stuck atop their roof early in the morning. Upon closer investigation it was clear that Idun's talons had become stuck in wire mesh covering the roof gutter and he was unable to free himself.

A complicated rescue followed, with huge thanks to De Groot Roof Painting who immediately leapt into action to help out! Vincent came to the rescue and managed to use his roof painting equipment and skills to safely remove ldun from the mesh.

Idun arrived at Bonorong Wildlife Hospital shortly after to be assessed by our specialist veterinary team.

Although he seemed to be tired from his ordeal, it appeared he had escaped without any severe injuries, and thorough examination under anaesthetic thankfully revealed no serious wounds or fractures. Idun suffered some soft tissue trauma and inflammation on the foot that had been trapped, likely from repeated effort to free himself. Fortunately, these are treatable injuries - Idun was very lucky to avoid serious injury from his entanglement.

Idun has now gone into the specialist care of a very experienced raptor rehabilitator who will monitor him carefully while he returns to full strength. Hopefully, after a short period in care, he will be ready for release!

Sadly, the Tasmanian Masked Owl is listed as an endangered species. This is primarily due to habitat loss, which stems from deforestation and urbanization. As human activities encroach upon their natural habitats, these magnificent owls struggle to find suitable nesting sites and hunting grounds. Additionally, competition with invasive species, particularly feral cats, poses a significant threat to their survival.

Read about the largest owl irruption (sudden population increase) in 20 years for Minnesota. Also some great stats about owl rehab from our friends at the University of MN Raptor Center!

From WTIP

January 20, 2025

This winter, northern Minnesota is experiencing an influx of owl species, particularly the Boreal Owl and the Great Gray Owl.

Owl sightings have increased in recent weeks, stretching from the Canadian Border to Duluth. The population influx is known as an owl irruption and is separate from annual migration patterns.

“Irruptions occur irregularly and vary greatly in magnitude,” Steve Kolbe, an avian ecologist at the University of Minnesota, said.

Kolbe said the main factor contributing to owl irruptions is “likely food.”

If populations of rodents, owls’ main source of food, have been abundant but then suddenly crash, owls will venture into nearby geographic areas in search of food.

While food sources are a significant factor, Kolbe said, other factors may be at play.

“Small rodent population cycles may drive the irruption of owls, especially if these population cycles match over geographic space,” Kolbe said. “But the ultimate drivers are likely complicated and may also involve environmental conditions such as snow depth and cover.”

Whether the current owl irruption in northern Minnesota is driven by food or environmental conditions, birdwatchers have flocked to backroads and highways throughout the Superior National Forest and Chippewa National Forest to take advantage of the phenomenon and hopefully catch a glimpse of the elusive and silent-winged bird.

“Birders throughout the Arrowhead region have been enjoying sightings of Great Gray and Boreal Owls for the past few weeks, even in the middle of town in places like Duluth and Two Harbors,” Kolbe said.

Kolbe said the current 2024-25 owl irruption is likely the largest irruption since 2004-05. However, it is “not even remotely close to the magnitude of the irruption that occurred in that year.”

Given that owls are primarily scavengers looking for rodents such as voles, mice, and shrews, they tend to be attracted to the side of a road, as rodents congregate at those locations to eat trash discarded from vehicles.

While the side of the road is a popular location for finding prey, it comes with a high level of risk and potential injury.

Wildwoods Rehabilitation Center, based in Duluth, admits approximately 100 injured raptors each year, with 25 to 35 of those being owls on average.

“The majority of these raptors are admitted after vehicle collisions,” Valerie Slocum, the Wildwoods Rehabilitation nursery manager, said.

While owls have powerful eyesight, they don’t have the best peripheral vision, given their eyes are affixed to the front of their head. As owls hunt for rodents along roadways, they tend to swoop low, often colliding with a vehicle.

“Owls really aren’t all that smart,” Steve Robinson, the Superior National Forest interpretation and education specialist, told WTIP. “Their hunting techniques frequently bring them into roadways with bad results for both the owl and your windshield.”

Slocum said Wildwoods Rehabilitation receives injured raptors and owls after being hit on various roadways throughout northern Minnesota, but most of the injuries occur on highways such as US-53, Hwy 61, and I-35.

While vehicle collisions are a leading cause of injuries, other reasons owls are admitted to Wildwoods Rehabilitation are due to flying into windows, being entrapped in netting or fencing, or illness.

With the owl irruption this year, Slocum said Wildwoods Rehabilitation is experiencing an increase in injured owls.

“We’ve seen quite a few more owls than we typically see,” she said. “I think there was one day we had five owl intakes or admits in one day. And most of them were ones that had been hit by a car, unfortunately.”

Recently, Wildwoods Rehabilitation made national headlines after a Minnesota woman rescued two owls on the same day near Two Harbors and Duluth. Both owls were injured in vehicle collisions.

Once an injured raptor or owl is received, Slocum said Wildwoods Rehabilitation will perform an exam and provide initial treatments. Then, they consult with The Raptor Center based in St. Paul about additional treatment options.

“Some injuries and conditions are not treatable and are euthanized,” Slocum said. “And those raptors that have the possibility to be treated are then transferred to The Raptor Center.”

Slocum said that for the last four years, approximately 34% of the owls they have received have been euthanized. Meanwhile, about 48% of the injured owls are transferred to The Raptor Center. The remaining 18%, she said, “either had died prior to their arrival to Wildwoods or died while in care.”

Over the 50-year history of The Raptor Center, the number of patients admitted each year has steadily increased.

Anthony Baffo, the communications manager at The Raptor Center in St. Paul, said that in 2024, the center admitted a record-setting 1105 wild raptor patients. Of the 1105 raptors, 351 were owls representing 11 species, Baffo said.

Typically, on average, The Raptor Center admits 300-305 owls.

“Trauma is the most common reason for admission,” Baffo said. “Car strikes are common, suspected source of trauma in our raptor patients.”

Baffo said when a bird enters their care, they “use every resource we have available to give them the best chance of recovery.”

He said that of the birds that survive the critical 48 hours of care, approximately 60% are released back into the wild.

With the owl irruption this year and, in turn, a slight increase in injured owls, bird researchers and rehabilitation centers are advising the public to remain aware while traveling along highways and backroads.

“I’d gently suggest that readers be careful if they are interested in seeing these birds, especially if they are doing so from roadways,” Kolbe said. “Making sure to park safely, give the birds plenty of space, and not lingering too long will not only be beneficial for the owls but also for local residents and people driving on the roads.”

From South African Wildlife Rehab Center

On Thursday evening, just before midnight, Lauren MacLeod received an urgent call from the Matthews family in Van Dyk Park. They had discovered a young Spotted Eagle Owlet sitting soaking wet and exceptionally vulnerable in the middle of the road after a storm.

Over the phone, Lauren quickly assessed the situation and guided the family on how to dry the owlet and keep it safe through the rest of the night. With no clear idea of where the owlet's nest might be or how to ensure its safety if returned, the decision was made to bring the owlet in for further care and rearing the following day.

By Friday morning, the owlet was on its way to Park Vet for a full health check. There, Dr. Nicole Napier and her daughter Erin were instantly charmed by the young bird, whom the Matthews family affectionately named Frederick.

After receiving a clean bill of health, Frederick was transferred to us, where he will receive the best care possible. He'll be fed a nutritious diet, given ample space to stretch his wings and learn to fly, and eventually be prepared for a soft release into a safe and suitable environment.

A HUGE "thank you" goes out to the Matthews family for their quick action and their generosity in sponsoring Frederick's care during his time with us. Recognizing the need to support our work makes a world of difference and helps us provide the best for these gorgeous creatures!

Here's an adult Spotted Eagle Owl this young one will get a chance to grow up to be:

From Eduardo Pulgar

After spotting this Snowy Owl, I decided to relocate my vehicle in order to get a special effect by placing the lights behind it.

Now when my daughter saw this pic, she said: "Oh she looks like Minnie Mouse

Only sharing this for informational purposes because they seem to expect a positive outcome for the owl. I generally avoid anything too serious, as we mainly come here for fun, but I think this is educational.

Due to owl eyes being so huge (each individual eye is often larger than the brain and you can sometimes see the eye through the ear canal) they are often injured during collisions with cars or buildings. I've heard this a million times finding things to share with you guys, but I've never seen it before finding this.

I wouldn't call it gory, but it's definitely not pleasant to see, but after hearing about it so much, it's helpful to me to have a visual. But don't click the spoiler tag if you mind blood.

From Nature's Edge

Took in a found great-horned owl this weekend. It was obvious it had been hit by a car. Both eyes full of blood, beak cracked, one wing badly bruised. Head trauma is concerning. Will take time to see how much damage is done to eyes, but hopeful at this point for a full recovery.

Now to withstand the skunk smell for a few weeks! These guys always come in smelling like their favorite food this time of year.

Final Warning! Injured owl behind the spoiler!

From Rob Julian

Snowy owl....aka the phantom of the tundra. Ontario Canada

Kenojuak Ashevak, The Enchanted Owl, 8 minute video

Video and text are from TVO Arts.

Fantastical. Striking. Wise. The Enchanted Owl catches the eye with its gentle face, intelligent gaze and long whimsical feathers. Kenojuak Ashevak created it in 1960. Known for her highly stylized drawing and prints of Arctic wildlife. Today this striking bird can be seen at the Kenojuak Cultural Centre and Print Shop in Kinngait (Cape Dorset).

With crisp confident lines and fluid shapes, The Enchanted Owl stands out amongst the surrounding white space like an emblem. It was originally printed in both red and black, and in green and black.

Originally printed in both red and black, and in green and black.

The owl was a favourite subject of Kenojuak. In her career, she imagined the clever creature in 100 different prints. Still, this is the only print of hers that hung in her home. In 1970, Canada Post chose it, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Northwest Territories.

Printmaking had a profound impact on Ashevak and on the Kinngait (Cape Dorset) community (Cape Dorset) where she practised.

The video has much more discussion and history about the print and the artist. I was looking more into Inuit art after thinking about the Oopik, and I saw this print in one video. I really liked it, and the story of the artist in the video was

From Gabi Sandu

WW Photographers - I'll go first with the #beforeafteredit.

Here is a Ural Owl in a dark environment. I used a very slow shutter speed 1/25 and a very high iso 12.800. In order to denoise the image I used dxo pure raw, but because I shot at 1/25 the image wasn't too noisy, less photons remained on the sensor. Other edits to the image were, vertical crop and some color adjustments.

PS - The shot was handheld and I shot in burst mode. If I remember correctly it was hundreds of shots. This one comes the best.

Nikon Z9, Nikon 500mm pf 1/25, f5.6, iso-12800

This was in response to this post:

It may look like all these photographers just magically get these great photos we enjoy every day, but a ton of work can take place both before and after the shutter button is pressed!

If this is something of interest to you all, I can try to remember to check back for more.

From Middle TN Raptor Center

Yesterday was cleaning day which is always a huge undertaking. Here are a few who posed for the camera yesterday.

From Artur Korpik

Extremely difficult to do... Boreal owl in flight

From Kaleena Smith

I just returned last week from my first ever birding trip outside of the United States. I thought I would share some of the pics from our trip. We went to Costa Rica with a birding tour and also went a couple of days early on our own to spend some time at Paraiso Quetzal. I will share in two parts because I have so many photos to go through, and l saw 197 lifers that I photographed while there (more that I missed shots of).

If anybody has questions about planning a trip there, or where we saw a specific bird, please let me know. We really only saw a small part of Costa Rica, mainly the Talamanca Highlands and Rancho Naturalista with some field trips such as to Centro Mano, El Copal and Irazu Volcano and others as well as San Jose.

It's amazing how many birds we saw in that relatively small area.

From Sabrina J Rangel

When a short-eared owl gives you that look-Go ahead, make me famous!

Nikon gears

Bhigwan Grasslands, Maharashtra India

From Peggy Smith

As I wish for more snow, here's a throwback to one of my favorite autumn photographs.

New River Gorge National Park

Victor & Olga were Eastern Screech Owls that were cared for at Three Rivers Avian Center in Brooks, WV. They care for injured birds of prey and return them to the wild if possible. They do two fundraisers a year in the form of photography workshops. You get to photograph beautiful birds of prey, learn about them, all while helping support a wonderful organization. I am a lover of owls. I'm so lucky and happy to have captured this precious moment.

From Glen Helen

Did you know that even in this cold and snowy weather, great horned owls in Ohio are well into the incubation period of their nesting season already?

Baby great horned owlets will start hatching in mid to late February and by March you may see bright yellow eyes peeking above hollow tree cavities or old hawk nests.

Keep in mind these early cavity nesters if you are having dead trees trimmed up in the late winter and be sure to call us should you find any feathered friends in need.