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From International Festival of Owls

Here are our winners from our 2026 International Kids' Owl Art Contest! This year we had about 2,978 entries from about 40 countries and 27 U.S. states!!

Thank you all for your participation in our contest! We hope to see you again next year!

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts & cultural heritage fund.

Give me a bit to post all the photos! There's about 2 dozen. Edit: all done!

From Center for Wildlife

This Northern Saw-Whet Owl is one of our most recent clinic guests! This little guy (the smallest species of owl in New England) arrived at CFW after he was found hanging out at a daycare center. He was perched on their playground equipment and did not attempt to move when his rescuer approached him. It's never a good sign when wild animals aren't acting with a natural fear of humans, so we're glad his rescuer brought him to get checked out! Along with his lethargic demeanor, our clinic team noted that he was pretty emaciated and mildly dehydrated as well. When they did his initial check, they also found some bruising on his left ear, a bit of a slowed pupillary response in his left eye, and potential blood in his feces. So far, they have been administering fluids and starting him on anti-inflammatory meds. Our team is still assessing his condition and getting him settled in, so we will keep you all updated with more details to come!

It may be hard to tell at first, but the close-up images show his ear canal and a bit of his eye socket. Believe it or not, there was no surgery or invasive procedure done in order to get this cool look at his ears. By simply brushing his feathers over to the side, we are able to (literally) see what's going on in his head! The gray/blue area to the left is the tubular socket holding his eye in place. Owl skulls have long tube-shaped eye sockets which hold their giant eyes, but restricts them from moving their eyeballs around. They can't look left to right or up and down without completely moving their heads too, which is why they have 270 degrees of motion to turn their head almost entirely around! (We have added an image of one of our owl skull bio-parts to show the tubular sockets in the skull.)

On the right of the eye socket is his ear canal. As you can see, owls have huge ear canals (it almost feels like you could see right into his brain through them - not quite though!). Their ears are actually positioned in different places on each side of the head to give them "surround sound" hearing. One of their ears is usually higher up on one side of the head, while the other is lower on the other side of the head, allowing them to hear a multitude of critters around them.

We think these animals are SO COOL and we're so glad to have a community that shares our passion for wildlife!

From Jen Marie Photography

They sure are making these PEZ dispensers more realistic nowadays.

Seriously though, this great-horned owl youngster was just in the middle of a yawn.

From Tok Ki Pungut

Oriental Scops-Owl. Otus sunia with eye contact. Langkawai.

Smallish scops-owl with bright yellow eyes. Comes in grayish-brown and bright rufous morphs. Generally weakly marked, without any prominent features: note weak black border to the facial disc, thinly streaked underparts, and short ear tufts (often held flat). Size: Length 17-21cm. Wing length 119-158mm. Tail length 49-75mm. Weight 75-95g.

Sony ILCE-1 handheld on a small boat. FE 600mm F4 GM OSS

From Steve Ellwood

Barred Owl in a splash of light. Processed dark to enhance the dramatic feel of the available light.

From Jen Marie

I don't think this burrowing owl was impressed by his likeness on the sign.

From Carolina Raptor Center

Our first baby of the year has arrived!

This tiny Great Horned Owl is likely only a few days old. This owlet was transferred to us from the Carolina Wildlife Center after being found by a caring community member. Wanting to help, the finder followed advice they found online and offered the owlet egg yolk and sirloin.

It's important to say that this came from a place of compassion. The finder was trying their best and ultimately made the most important decision which was getting this baby in the right hands.

We do want to stress that feeding a any raptor can be dangerous. Baby birds of prey require a very specific diet, and their delicate down feathers and developing bodies can be harmed by improper food or feeding. If you find a bird that needs help, please avoid giving food or water and contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator right away, like the Carolina Raptor Center.

When this owlet arrived, our team performed a careful intake exam, checked their breathing, gently cleaned egg residue from their feathers, and placed them in a warm incubator. They're now receiving specialized nutrition and expert care to ensure they have the best chance to grow up strong and return to the wild.

Want to help support and learn more about patients like this throughout the baby season? Join us for our upcoming Baby Shower on March 7th as we celebrate baby raptors and the work our dedicated team puts in to help them along in their journeys.

I love CRC! One of the first stops on my journey to becoming a raptor super-fan! Check out their Caracaras, King Vulture, and Chaco Owl!

From Braddock Bay Bird Observatory

It's Northern Saw-whet Owl season at the banding station! We aren't banding any this February due to the deep snow (we can't even get down the driveway) and the cold temperatures, but they have been sighted in the woods surrounding us.

These photos of nine different owls from the fall of 2020 and the spring of 2021 show how much variation there is in the coloration and expression of these tiny hunters.

These compilations come out every so often From different banding projects and are always some of my favorites. I love seeing the variety of features they have.

From Jhonathan Miranda

For years I had wanted to see this owl, but it was only yesterday that I finally managed to see it. It is Asio flammeus - Short-eared Owl. The species is quite rare in Venezuela, where most records date back more than 20 years. This gem hunts during the day, and it doesn't just swoop down to capture its prey; it performs a series of fascinating maneuvers that are truly beautiful to watch. It glides very close to the ground, quite slowly, and suddenly brakes in the air, turns around and dives towards the ground, stretching out one of its legs, touching the ground, jumping and diving again... sometimes it stays hidden on the ground or sometimes it continues flying.

But the show doesn't end with its hunt, it also flies with a “smug look on its face,” although it also seems to have a “look of extreme laziness.” It's very curious that it always flies with its eyelids half closed and even with its eyes closed. I suppose its eyes capture too much light and it has to regulate that opening somehow so as not to be completely dazzled. A super interesting owl.

We waited eight hours for it, but it was 100% worth the wait. I think it's the easiest bird in flight to photograph, as it glides very slowly and moves quite predictably. I think it's been my favorite bird so far this year, and possibly the most beautiful owl. And yes, my 1310th/1433rd species in Venezuela!

The downside, like many other owls, is that it is unfortunately sought after by practitioners of Santeria for their sacrifices and rituals. It is also poisoned by the use of pesticides and hunted due to human ignorance.

From Julie Price

Nature's Slight of Hand

Found these two little Bark Nuggets recently. Proof that camouflage really is one of nature's best magic tricks.

Eastern Screech Owls

From A Place Called Hope

OK, something light to make you smile!! Orion with his favorite stuffie.

Orion is a solo ambassador Northern Saw Whet Owl at A Place Called Hope. He is solo because his room mate passed away from old age. He desperately needs a buddy, but we don't wish harm on any Saw Whet out there!! If one comes along that can not be released due to an injury that would compromise survival in the wild, we will apply for acquisition. Until then, the stuffie will need to do.

Orion is not young himself, and he does have a few mirrors in his aviary. I can't say I have ever caught him looking at the mirrors, but this stuffie he is often seated next to. Perhaps the eyes are the attraction? Awwww... hearts to Orion!

From Montana Wild Wings

Speaking for all of us at Montana Wild Wings Recovery, Oliver and Newton wanted to sincerely thank Tito's Vodka for their generous contribution. We will use the contribution to further our education program which Oliver (northern saw whet owl) and Newton (northern pygmy owl) are both a part of. Thank you!

Tito's not only makes great vodka but it also supports a lot of other worthwhile organizations and projects - check them out here.

It looks like Tito's is a continuing sponsor of the work at MTWW and a number of other pro-animal organizations. Good for them!

Here's a display from last year showing thanks for a previous contribution. I like the idea of putting the display feathers on sticks for easy handling and ID. I'm going to have to steal that for my open house display.

Also crazy to see a Saw Whet and Pygmy together. I've only seen a Saw Whet's eyeballs peering at me from a dark corner so I've never seen how tiny they are, and to see a Pygmy Owl next to it makes them seem reeeeeeally small.

SWO: 20 cm, 7 in, 80 g, 2.8 oz

Northern Pygmy: 16 cm, 6 inches, 65 g, 2.3 oz