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From Nebraska Wildlife Rehab

Our faces when someone mentions the news 👀

There's so much going on in our country and in many ways, it feels odd to share photos and stories that don't relate to these crucial moments that are unfolding so close to home. We hope the resilience of our wildlife can serve as a reminder to stay strong and remember the goodness of people in our communities. We're lucky to witness it every day - from rescuers, to volunteers, to our incredible staff and supporters.

From Neil Simmons

It's fun to see the eyes on the back of a Pygmy owls head. When I'm photographing one it gets tricky knowing which way they are looking. I can't help but chuckle when I hear someone next to me clicking their camera shutter at the wrong time. These eyes on the back of their heads are a defense mechanism warding off predators and making themselves appear larger than they are.

The proper term for this eye mimicry is "ocelli", a diminutive of the Latin "oculus", which means eye, so ocelli are "little eyes".

From Owl Rescue Centre

Last week, we did a fundraiser to cover a 3,200km journey for three very different patients. It was a smallish challenge, starting with the last rescue first, this "big budgie"-a Verreaux Eagle Owl that weighs over 3kg who was destined to be loaded into a crate and exported to a far away country. By absolute luck, we managed to intercept that transaction just in time. She is now safe with us.

Next was a baby girl baboon; a straightforward rescue after a kind couple found her following the tragic loss of her mother. They gave her a week of love and care before we arrived. She is now safely at CARE: Centre for Animal Rehabilitation and Education in Phalaborwa.

Finally, we rescued a juvenile Black Sparrowhawk that had chased a pigeon into a massive church and trapped himself inside, repeatedly bouncing off the windows. We rescued him and is now also with us, but just for a few days until healthy.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated, and a special shout-out to CemAir and LIFT Airline for sponsoring one of the flights. You guys are real 😉

From The News Tribune

This Super Bowl season, a certain bird has been dominating headlines. The Seattle Seahawks, of course, who are slated to take on the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8.

At the Point Defiance Zoo, there’s another bird getting extra attention this time of year: Forrest, who is the zoo’s most superb owl, according to zookeepers.

A Eurasian eagle owl, Forrest has lived at the Point Defiance Zoo for almost all 20 years of his life. He stands at over a foot tall (he should be close to 2 ft / 60 cm tall) and weighs four pounds (1.8 kg), but his massive wingspan and the formidable expression that perpetually lives on his face gives him a frightening look.

In reality, Forrest is actually an incredibly charming bird, according to staff biologist Erica Baker. He’s comfortable and confident around people because he was raised around them. He’s also known to be chatty, Baker said. “If we are walking near his habitat that he lives in, you’ll hear him making sounds that are not necessarily a hoot, which is more of a territorial call, he’ll do a lot of other smaller chirps and things that are more friendly chatter to the keepers around,” she told The News Tribune.

The recent surge in Forrest’s popularity comes as some Super Bowl fans engage in the annual tradition of attempting to search “Super Bowl” and end up typing in “Superb Owl” instead. It’s an annual cultural phenomenon that might have started as a typo or as a joke, NPR reported. At Point Defiance Zoo, it’s a chance to talk about Forrest. It’s his charisma and personality that have made him a fixture in the Wild Wonders outdoor theater and the daily “animal encounters” programming the zoo puts on. The event is a chance for zoo visitors to see some of its animals in action, and Forrest often closes out the event with big swooping flights from one end of the auditorium to the other, squawking as he is known to do.

Forrest, a Eurasian eagle owl, takes flight during a daily “animal encounters” program.

His performance often elicits literal oohs and ahhs, Baker said. “Most people are just in awe,” she said. His time at the zoo hasn’t always been straightforward. In 2014 he flew off during a rehearsal for his performance at the outdoor theater. Baker said it was a windy day and a handful of crows mobbed him as he was flying out. His keepers think he got confused and flew out and got lost in Point Defiance Park, she said. It started a three-day search to find the missing owl, which flew straight to his keepers once they found him. When he’s not impressing guests in the Wild Wonders outdoor theater, Forrest likes to eat mice and sometimes rabbits as a treat. He also enjoys what his keepers call “enrichment,” which for Forrest entails shredding heads of cabbage into pulp with his massive talons. This Super Bowl season, zoo staff are trading the cabbage heads for coconuts – to look like footballs. “He doesn’t eat it, he just likes to shred it,” Baker said.

Forrest, a Eurasian eagle owl, swoops in on a piece of mouse meat placed in an enclosure.

On game day, Baker estimates that Forrest will likely be out flying, and if he’s not flying he’ll be shredding something. Forrest isn’t a huge fan of hawks – his neighbor at the zoo is a Harris hawk, and the birds of prey can be competitive with each other. But he’s definitely a Seahawks fan, she said. “I think Forrest would make an excellent wide receiver,” Baker said. Visit Forrest at the Point Defiance Zoo’s Wild Wonders outdoor theater located at 2 North Waterfront Drive in Tacoma. As of Jan. 9, visitors sporting Seahawks gear will get $5 off general admission tickets.

From Ivan Putter

Flying brown Teddy bears (Pel's Fishing Owls) of Mapungubwe (South Africa).

Since great captures of a pretty uncommon owl!

From The Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital at Cornell University

The arrival of winter at the Swanson Wildlife Hospital means an influx of owls that have been hit by a car. Although eye injury is a common problem in these owls, a more rare occurrence is a bright green iris. This occurs when blood, inflammation, and other factors combine to create the right conditions for this to occur. The beautiful green color usually only lasts a day or two, as medications (and the owl's own healing) bring it back to its normal coloration.

This particular screech owl did excellent, and was discharged to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator for eventual release back to the wild.

From Carlos A Carmona

There is nothing more accelerating than observing a Great Gray Owl 🦉 launching with his eyes locked 🔒 on the prey. Such an impactful expression.

• in Meadowlands, MN.

From David Brozek

Eagle owl

Poland 20.10.2024

Nikon z9, 400 2.8, iso 1000, f2,8, ev -0,3, 1/500, 400mm.

From Gretchen Lally

Eastern Red Screech Owl comes back home just before sunrise after hunting all night... her pupils are completely dilated, to let the most light in for hunting

From Mark Kula

This Western MA female Snowy Owl waited us out on a frigid afternoon until the sun dropped just below the horizon at the juncture of golden and blue hour. She popped up with no warning and I was able to catch a short sequence. A bit grainy as iso was 12800 at 1/400 f8 and of course a bit of a crop.

From Cynthia Rand

I discovered another new Screech Owl recently! I worked hard to find an unobstructed opening to shoot through as there were so many vines between us. It was a good distance away but the photo is cropped significantly. I could have moved closer and eliminated the vines. But my goal is to make sure each Owl feels safe enough to stick around. If I get too close, most of them would feel stressed and possibly seek out a cavity that feels safer. They choose their cavity for a reason and I don't want to cause them to leave it.

From Meaghan Garrahan

A few from last night I was shocked they came out with the high winds and freezing temps!