From Antonius Lo
Northern Saw Whet Owl (Aegolius acadicus ) Southern Ontario, Canada. 2024 Sony ILCE-1 n SEL 200-600 @ f/7.1 SS 1/320 8000. DXO raw processed.
Hehe, premium comment!
anon6789
joined 2 years ago
Huh, either nobody seems to have a free emoji maker or they're all just blocked by my company's AI blocklist. 😑
It's soooo close to something good, but rictal is hard to make something out of.
Most rictal per pixel...
No pictures with more rictals...
Not even a weird pronunciation really makes them work and it's so frustrating!
Not shown, photographer's shoes:
That was an interesting read. I liked getting some of the terminology, but also hearing that Neanderthal people may have been crepuscular!
We still generally have a person or 2 we do like to see, even if not all the time.
Most of these owls though understand another raptor as something that could cause one or both of them to starve or be without a safe shelter.
I haven't seen too much specifics on owl relationships, but it sounds more of a truce to achieve a common goal than a friendship/romance. Most don't seem to spend much time close together unless they're actively nesting, otherwise they have too many competing goals.
I really liked this whole set. It makes me wonder what goes on in their fluffy little brains!
I hope they're having some kind of happy thoughts about winning fights, scaring off other birds and animals, raising happy babies, and catching the tastiest little creatures ever. I don't want it to just be a blank space or keeping one ear out for lunch and another to make sure nobody else makes the owl the lunch!
On my New Year's Eve, I saw one of my backyard bird friends get eaten. I couldn't find any flight feather to confirm it was one of my bluejays, but it really looked like one. All I found was a bunch of belly down. It got pinned down by a Cooper's Hawk and was taken away after a few moments. I have dozens of hours of interactions with the jays, and I think of us as friendly neighbors. I felt bad, but I do care about the hawk too, and that is what hawks are meant to do. I made sure not to cause a distraction, as I felt it was already too late for the caught bird, and if it was its time to be the food, I didn't want him to get left behind if the hawk panicked from my presence and the bird to just get left behind.
I've seen the jays fight off the hawk before, and I've also seen the hawk take other random finches and sparrows before, and I was glad to see it was still alive and doing well. They jays are just the ones I've bonded with most. It's similar to how some people befriend the crows. I started feeding them peanuts and spending time with them, and they got to know me, and they call their bird friends when they see me get home and such. They will call to me sometimes if I sleep in too late.
But I have to remember they are just my neighbors, and not my pets. They have their own lives to live and duties to fulfill. I try not to humanize them too much, but I do really hope they enjoy the lives they get to live. Watching animals reminds me how hard things can be, but it does show me they do have unique personalities, even if they aren't like ours exactly. I hope they get to enjoy some form of love and hope and satisfaction. They deserve it as much as anything does.
It really astounds me that I haven't found any country so far that pays these people or provides them supplies! People these days agree on nothing, but I have met so few individuals in my life that don't have at least some positive feelings toward animals. It would seem like getting some of these orgs funded would be a no-brainer, but every bit of time, money, and supplies is provided by donation. I'm glad there are so many that give of themselves to play a part.
If you've followed my postings for a decent bit of time, so many of these injuries are due to us anyway. Giving back to the animals for what we've done is really the least we can do!
It's all bright in the clinic and it's hurt and doesn't know what's going on in the orange towel pics.
In the crate, it's likely feeling at least a little better from getting its wing set and some fluids back in its system, and now has the energy and wherewithal to be its natural, feisty self again.
Most posts I read say and angry owl is a healthy owl! 😆 Sounds a bit counter-intuitive to social creatures like us, but owls thrive with their solitude.
Somewhat tangential, but with the comments about "baby schema" over the weekend, I was reading if that scientist had done any work with owls, and while he didn't, he had an interesting story about a fellow scientist trying to breed domesticated owls.
The guy sounded like he was imprinting the owls to people, possibly himself, and the owls would be good with people due to the imprinting. The problem arose though was what to do next. Due to being human imprinted, the owls saw themselves as somewhat human, and displayed all their mating attention with the paired human. This certainly doesn't result in ending up with new, domesticated owls though.
When placed with other owls of their kind, they were really hesitant to bond with the opposite sex owls to make new owls. Some eventually would mate, but if that original bonded human ever showed up to the aviary again, the bonded owl would go crazy at its actual owl-mate and try to drive them off, as they were bonded harder to their human imprint. Seemingly the classic owl monogamy is pretty strong! So without being able to keep the human bond and the owl bond, the project went nowhere.
I didn't think that was enough for a full post. Maybe I can look into it more, but even that bit I thought was quite interesting.
The Barn Owl may be a pinnacle of owl evolution. They may be the peak predator of rodents by it's mass vs the amount of rodents it eats. They have a very high metabolism that must be filled by meat. What do they do with all that energy? Fly! If it's possible for an owl to exist anywhere, there will be some variety of Barn Owl there. These winged wonders can migrate up to 1000 km / 600 miles, taking them to near every land mass. Experiments with Barn Owls in the 70s finally lead to the understanding of most owls ability to use sound to find prey in total darkness with extreme accuracy.
The Boreal Owl (Tengmalm's Owl in Europe) is rarely seen by humans, staying far north in inaccessible taiga of North America and Eurasia. Its closest relatives are the diminutive Saw Whet and the Buff Fronted Owl. They have at least 8 types of vocalizations, making them hard to track. Despite being small, this owl eats more birds and mammals than many small owls do. They frequently look to have a surprised expression, making them very fun to see.
Does the sleek and svelte Barn Owl or the bashful Boreal get today's upvote?
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
The Greater Sooty Owl is a resident of the wet tropical forest of Australia and New Guinea. There is also a Lesser Sooty sometimes grouped in, but it has a very limited range in North Queensland. They are the most massive of the Barn Owl family, though the Tasmanian Masked Owls are longer overall. This dark owl dotted with white speckles can let out a piercing 2 second shriek. Their primary diet are the mammals sharing the trees with them, gliders, possums, bandicoots, and bats.
For many of us, the Great Horned Owl will need no introduction. This is one of the largest owls of the Americas, and has a wider ranger than any owl but the Barn Owls. Its iconic hoot strikes fear into almost every animals in the forest - not even porcupines nor skunks or turkeys are safe from talons with more crushing power than an eagle, and even most dogs. They also have no problem going head to head with Bald Eagles over territory in epic back and forth battles. They may also be the longest lived owl, living up to 30 years in the wild and 50 in captivity.
Can you decide between these two great "Great" owls? Are you sucked down to the darkness with the goth Sooty, or will GHO crush its competition? Upvote your favorite now!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
From Mike Lentz
The look you get from a female Northern Saw Whet Owl when she see's your taking her picture. : )
My posse has been seeing these charming little owls and expect for this winter to be pretty epic with so many different species.
Their plumage is mottled and provides excellent camouflage! They primarily are found in more dense forests, particularly in Conifers and mixed woodlands. They prefer areas with a thick understory for cover.
From Dave Waddell
I noticed an adult male Snowy Owl perched on a fence post when a juvenile Snowy Owl landed at the base of the post. The juvenile knew that he was invading the adult male's personal space but was pushing his luck... consequently he lost his nerve and flew off to be pursued by the adult male. These were definitely Angry Birds, but wise for there was no lasting damage done to either bird."
The Short Eared Owl doesn't always show its little ears, but they are a treat when they do pop up! This owl has no issue soaring for long distances, which is what has lead to this owl being almost everywhere. They haven't made it to Australia yet, though there are special species of Shorties in places like the Caribbean, the Galopagos, and Hawaii. If we ever get owls in Antarctica, it will likely either be a Shortie or a Barn Owl. They nest in a shallow depression, hidden in the tall grass. It will fake a wing injury to lead predators away from the nest. They can often be found together, in the wide open spaces they prefer. Harriers also hunt the same food in the same places, so dramatic ariel combat occurs frequently.
The Oriental Bay Owl is one of the most unique looking owls. Part of the Barn Owl family, this little owl has a heart shaped face and large dark eyes, giving it an otherworldly appearance. They are found in parts of India, through Southeast Asia, Malaysia, and the Philippines in woodlands, swamps, and pkantations. They have many different vocalizations, including hoots, screams, and whistles.
Does the little devil that loves posing for the camera win your vote? Has the Bay Owl captured your imagination? Upvote your favorite below!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
The Philippine Scops fell short of taking down the Screech Owl, but we have another Scops who wants to be tops today. It's a tall order, going up against one very popular owl!
The Burrowing Owl is a perennial favorite. Its gregarious nature, the quirky behavior, it's an owl almost everyone enjoys. Today, they are found in dry, grassy, open areas from the very south of western Canada down throughout South America. They are one of the few species actually benefitting from South America deforestation, as it makes new areas for them to expand into. It is equally happy hunting in the air or running on the ground. One great trick they've developed is since rattlesnakes also live in similar holes, if they hear a disturbance at their doorway, they will emulate the rattler's sound to try and make their guest think they've stumbled into a snake pit!
Though one of the largest of the Scops, the Indian Scops is still a bit smaller than the Burrow Owl. It comes in both a lovely pale beige color or a light grey morph, both with orange to brown eyes. It stays cool and hidden in foliage during the day, and at night it makes a frog like call. Its favorite foods are beetles and grasshoppers, but it will take a rodent, lizard, or bird without complaining.
Does the playful Burrow Owl do it for you, or does the pointy little desert dweller have that edge you crave? Upvote your favorite now!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
I saw my local Bun Mobile the other day and thought you guys may find it entertaining. It pops up from time to time on my commute home and I got a pic of it to send to my friend with buns.
From Hoo's Woods
This is "ZZ", our most recent barred owl patient found standing in the middle of the road, eyes closed and disoriented. She'd been struck by a vehicle, but thankfuly, two kindhearted ladies spotted her and sprang into action. They safely contained her and contacted the Rock County Sheriffs dispatch, who referred them to Hoo's Woods.
ZZ is now in our care with a significant head injury affecting her vision, a common issue for owls with forward-facing eyes. Unfortunately, trauma like this can lead to detached retinas and even blindness. While her prognosis is still guarded, as of this morning has been moved from ICU oxygen to a hospital cage where we can continue to monitor her closely. Let's send positive vibes for her recovery.
From Wild Care
What a scene! This dramatic display is what WildCare's Med Staff saw the moment they opened up this Burrowing Owl patient's enclosure in preparation to give him his daily prescribed medications. He was already on edge after just hearing the impressive vocalizations from his fellow patient and current neighbor, a very feisty Barn Owl, who had also had to come out for meds.
This fancy feather display is a standard defensive response for owls. Fluffing up their feathers instantly makes them look bigger, and by rotating their wings forward and down as they crouch, their side to side movement has the maximum impact! This tiny predator only weighs 150 grams-that's about half the heft of an average pigeon-so looking big and scary in the face of a perceived threat is particularly vital.
As you can see, this owl was eager to get back out into the wild and out of the bothersome hands of humans! We are glad to report that it wasn't long after this video was taken that he was cleared for release and is now living in his natural habitat in a colony with other Burrowing Owls.
This matchup brings us a set of very distinguished looking birds.
The Flammulated Owl developed a very rabid fan base last year, with you guys calling it the "Ent Owl" as it resembles a living tree. The owl's name refers to the smoldering ember patterns that only enhance its great looks. It is a small owl, slightly larger than the Elf Owl, but has a surprisingly deep hoot. They are a migratory species, leaving Canada and the western US in the winter to go down to Latin America. Flammulated Owls, like the Long Eared Owl, is another owl that actually doesn't mind being in groups of its own kind. They prefer pine forests and eat insects.
The Dusky Eagle Owl hails from India to Malaysia. It is a large owl, mostly nocturnal, but will come out during the day, especially if it is more cloudy. One interesting fact is they only nest in abandoned nests or one particular bird in 2 or 3 particular kinds of tree! I'd love to tell you more, but they are one if the least studied owls, so hopefully the mystery will add to its allure!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
This match features a pair of wise looking owls. Which one has the smarts to win today?
The Great Grey is the largest owl by overall length. Max length is around 33 inches, 84 cm, but actual mass is much less than the Blakiston's or Eurasian Eagle, and even that of most Bubo owls like the Snowy, Great Horned, etc. It's a real big fluffball! This thick winter coat is perfect for the coniferous taiga of the north, which is their preferred home. Even though they are found in Europe and Asia, they were not discovered until the 18th century in Canada. They have a less varied diet than most owls, eating mainly small rodents, but their massive facial disc maximizing the most tiny sounds, they can hear rodents under up to 2 feet, 60 cm, of snow!
The Spectacled Owl, while not the biggest owl in any continent, it is the largest tropical owl species at 20 inches, 52 cm, preferring the rainforests of Central and South America. It eats almost any mammal or can get its feet on, from rodents to bats, possums, crabs, snails, and even monkeys and sloths. With a wide range in habitats less hospitable for people, the Spectacled Owl has stayed relatively safe, though a species on Trinidad is now extinct due to encroachment in the rainforest there.
Which wise owl has captured your imagination? Is it the wise old Phantom of the North, the Great Grey, or the young, preppy looking Spectacled Owl? Upvote you choice now!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
It's true, my problem with it was it was too full of good stuff it got to be overwhelming!