From Dave L Clark
Family of 5. Long-eared Owlets Calgary, Alberta, Canada 2025
Long Ears, unlike many other species, will spend time together in the wild.
You better be right! ๐คฅ
anon6789
joined 2 years ago
It's not an official term, to my knowledge. As far as anything I've read, it's a colloquial collective noun that seems to be widely accepted.
That's another one! I wonder every now and then if the Screech I released is still around and/or doing well.
Sometimes my GHO goes quiet for an extended time, but I always hear them eventually. Maybe they just found a nice roosting spot a little out of earshot.
I had a ton of my bluejays show up last weekend, though 2 ravens followed them to my peanut stash, which they didn't like. I'm also thinking at least some of the 3 squirrels I released are doing well, as there were 5 or 6 running around also chasing the ravens. They'd grab a nut, which they usually take back to the tree line to eat, but they'd charge the ravens while they were headed for cover anyway. It was very entertaining.
Hip hip hooray!
Oooo, that's not a pleasant thought. ๐ฐ
Now I'm going to be thinking about this next time I'm in with the Red Tailed Hawks. They always seem jumpy and skittish.
Yes, your BirdNet Pi was exactly what I thought of when I saw this. I'd still like to do one of those sometime. I haven't heard my GHO in a bit, and I wonder if it's just because I'm inside more due to the cold of if they haven't been hanging around as much. I got my feeders up now as well, so it'd be fun to see who all shows up when I'm not around.
As to the smallest, I don't think they're right Flammy is 2nd smallest. Saw Whet is about 2cm taller and 15g heavier than a Flammulated. Elf Owl is out there for at least part of the year and is the smallest anywhere, but I think some of the Pygmy Owls are also out there (Northern and Ferruginous come to mind, possibly more) and I'm pretty sure they are smaller as well, so I'm not sure what technicalities they are including/excluding.
They have amazing muscle control over their eyes, so if they got the rules down, I'm sure they'd be amazing! They can dilate their pupils at will and independent of one another, which is always kinda cool. They've also got nictitating membranes to keep their eyes nice and moist while flying without losing full vision.
I want to say they wink/blink more when they see me, but less when they know I'm there but can't see me, but I will have to pay closer attention to that next season.
It looks like Canada has 2 subspecies of LEO, though the one that sounds like it has a black edges face would be a bit more eastern than the one it says is more likely in Alberta.
LEOs do migrate and the second listed subspecies also mentions a gradient of some traits due to specific local environments, so they could just be closer to the wilsonianus subspecies in coloration or have interbred at some point in time.
A. o. wilsonianus (Lesson, 1830) - This subspecies is found in south-central and southeastern Canada (Manitoba to Nova Scotia) to southern USA (north Oklahoma and Virginia), The wing chord typically measures 284 to 305 mm (11.2 to 12.0 in). In general, American long-eared owls are more vividly marked than many Eurasian populations. The facial disc is bright rufous, with a strong blackish rim and extensive white about the disc. The eyes are typically a deep yellow. Meanwhile, the markings on the underside usually are quite blackish and prominent with distinct cross-bars.
A. o. tuftsi Godfrey, 1948 - The range is from western Canada (southern Yukon to southwest Manitoba) to south-central USA (west Texas). It differs from A. o. wilsonianus in having paler plumage. The brown mottling on upper parts is paler and more restricted. It is weakly differentiated and may comprise clinal variations due to region and habitat, rather than subspecific differences.
From Raptor Rescue Rehab Centre
Wake up, Little Susie, wake up!
This Spotted Eagle-Owl was found at Cotswold Downs with a broken wing and brought in for treatment. Under the expert care of Dr. Oliver Tatham from Clarendon Veterinary Clinic Pietermaritzburg, surgery was performed to insert a small pin to realign the ulna.
Administering anesthesia to birds is a precise and delicate process. Their high metabolic rates and efficient respiratory systems mean anesthetic gases act quickly - but can also linger longer or wear off faster depending on the individual bird. This owl took a little while to wake up, which isn't unusual after surgery. Throughout the procedure and recovery, the veterinary team closely monitored breathing, heart rate, and temperature to ensure the best possible outcome.
Thanks to expert care, this owl is now on the road to recovery - one step closer to spreading its wings again.
And a post from a follow up 5 days after:
Little Susie went in for her check-up and some gentle mobilisation and stretching while her pinned wing heals - and her X-ray shows just how extraordinary owl anatomy really is.
Owls can rotate their heads up to 270ยฐ thanks to extra neck vertebrae (they have 14, whereas mammals only have 7) and specialised blood-vessel adaptations that keep the brain supplied even during extreme turns. It's one of the many remarkable features that help them survive as silent, efficient hunters.
Thank you to Dr Oliver Tatham and the team at Clarendon Veterinary Clinic Pietermaritzburg for their expert care in helping Little Susie on her road to recovery.
From Lilith Darko
Burrowing owl from a few weeks ago in south florida.
FromUniversity of Montana Bird Ecology Lab
UMBEL is involved in so many amazing research projects it can be hard to highlight them all! Here is an example of an exciting project we don't talk about nearly enough.
In an effort to understand ecological impacts of forest thinning and fuels management techniques, UMBEL has been conducting long-term monitoring in the Meadow Smith study area near Condon, MT. This has mainly consisted of morning point counts pre- and post -treatment across years. But, after a 2024 pilot season of playback surveys (broadcasting "hoots" from a speaker to elicit a response) revealed the presence of Flammulated Owls on the landscape, UMBEL launched collaborative project with the @charismaticminifaunalab.
Flammulated Owls are North America's second smallest owl (do you know the smallest??). They are migratory, nocturnal, and mainly insectivorous! Previous studies suggest that they prefer mature forest stands with large diameter trees and fairly open understory for breeding. As a species of special concern, it's important to understand how Flammulated Owl are affected by our management strategies.
We deployed 69 ARUs (autonomous recording units) in forest stands with different treatment types to investigate occupancy of Flammulated Owls. These ARUs recorded 5 hours of audio each night, throughout the summer of 2025, they've now all been collected and the massive amount of files generated (over 12,000 hrs!) is being processed and run through an initial Al classifier by Charismatic Minifauna Lab superstar undergrad Anna Derossi. Will we detect any Flams? Will they show a preference for forest treatment type? We'll keep you updated here!!
Testing image loading bug
Who you lookin at? ๐ฆ
This gorgeous Great Horned Owl had an unfortunate run in with old fishing line left in a tree and was found hanging by his right wing. After being cut from the line, the finders brought him straight to us to check for further injuries.
This owl was incredibly lucky and no bones were broken and no open wounds were found. He was however, suffering from exhaustion and some pretty impressive bruising. After a week of pain medications and plenty of time to recover from his exhaustion, this owl had a final checkup and is now ready for release. Our medical assistants couldn't be more thrilled to get this feisty flier back to the wild... and to never have to give oral medications to him again (he wasn't the happiest or most coopeative of patients).
Please always clean up after yourself when you are out fishing. Line left in trees is incredibly dangerous for our birds. Birds of prey, like this owl, have terrific eyesight, but aren't able to see the line before it's too late. Fishing line wrapped around their delicate skin and feathers most often results in damage that can't always be repaired or requires months and months of care to get the bird back to flying shape.
We are at the last pairing for the 2025 Owl of the Year!
Time has come for us to choose our last finalist.
Screech Owl has taken down last year's winner, Saw Whet. Snowy put the black and blue on the Black and White Owl after its huge surge in popularity this season.
Both of these owls are always immensely popular, but never have they met here in the OotY arena. Many of you have been dreading this match, but these are the challenges we must face!
After today, we'll take a day off. You can second guess all your votes, and I will have a chance to prepare us a proper finale for our 2 top owls.
So take time. Appreciate the angelic white and soft, warm plumage of the Snowy. Observe the supremacy of the tree bark camo that makes the Screech invisible in the forest. You have the great yeti of the owls, and also one that shows even small owls are mighty, stealthy, and the stuff that gives c/taneggs nightmares.
For the penultimate time, cast your upvote for your choice below!
From Tomasz Chlebda
The ural owl
Poland 12/2025
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From The Raptor Center
If the short days of December are dimming your mood, we've got some owls to brighten your day! Pictured here are two of TRC's beloved ambassador owls who chose to be out in the beautiful snow that fell this past week in Minnesota.
With a light dusting of snow framing their faces, these owls reveal the remarkable insulation of their feathers-preventing body heat from escaping and stopping the snow from melting on contact.
Barred owl Strix was found along a roadside in 2010, likely hit by a vehicle, with the trauma causing blindness in the right eye. One easy way to help reduce car collisions with raptors is to refrain from littering on the side of the road, as this attracts rodents, which in turn attract owls on the hunt.
Twig, the Eastern screech owl, became habituated to humans while very young and lacks the behaviors to survive in the wild. While finders have the best of intentions, it is important to always call your local rehabilitator when finding a young raptor (or any animal) and not attempt to care for them yourself.
From Sue Kee
When they plummet into the snow to catch the unseen vole below, and then look up to make sure nothing else is there to steal it from them. It's like a tiny moment of joy on their face... I got it! ๐
From Jack Halloway
While rounding up 9 Great Horned Owls to be released tonight, one of them was determined to not be caught. In his obstinency to avoid capture, he would hang like a bat instead of landing on one of the perches in reach of my snatching hands.
Ultimately, all were secured and released at multiple locations along the Salt River. Each looked strong in their rehabbed flight.
As a side note of personal entertainment to me, one excited onlooker at the last release site was surprised at how "small" these Great Horned seemed. "Small?", I queried. "They're the largest owl in Arizona."
She confidently - and most adamantly - proclaimed one owl near her house has an 8-foot wingspan and is at least "this tall" as she held her hand just below her waist. Despite that being more than twice the actual size, I just smiled and said I'm glad she enjoys her wildlife.
I am always impressed at how magnificently people misjudge the size of animals at a distance versus up close.
My most memorable rescue of, what the caller described as, "an eagle in my backyard that comes up to my thigh" turned out to be an American Kestrel - which is the smallest falcon in the US standing at 8 inches tall.
Sometimes it's just best to skip the education part and just smile and nod.
Wow, yesterday's games were the most intense ever in OotY history! Both matches were neck and neck all day. I had no idea what to prepare for, so this is going to be a little short.
Congrats to this year's final 4 owls: White Faced, Buffy, Screech, and Snowy.
I'm going to do the first semi-final today and the other tomorrow.
You know the competition well at this point. White Face is former OotY from 2023. Buffy has been a strong opponent in all 3 seasons, and has now made it to the last stop before the final match. Both have very fun and loveable looks, so it may still be a hard choice, but it's what we're here for.
So take your time, think it over, and upvote your first finalist now!
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I kinda like a stare of owls from that list. They certainly do that well.