It’s not often that I photograph a perched Barn Owl doing anything but resting. Opening and closing their eyes is about as exciting as it usually gets.
1/1250, f/6.3, ISO 500, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, 1.4 tc, not baited, set up or called in
I photographed this owl about a month ago at Farmington Bay. It had been hunting from low perches like this bunch of phragmites that had been downed by heavy snow and here the bird is listening for voles in the snow below it.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, not baited, set up or called in
But then it began to do a little grooming with its feet and it did so very slowly and carefully – those talons are dangerous this close to the eye. Barn Owls are known for using their forward two claws to scratch their head, facial disc and the area around the beak.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO 640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, not baited, set up or called in
The bird must have read “the book” because that’s exactly what it did next.
1/2000, f/6.3, ISO640, Canon 7D, 500 f/4, not baited, set up or called in
And then it cleaned its “scratchers”. The bird kept its nictitating membrane closed during most of this process for obvious reasons.
I absolutely adore Barn Owls and I certainly don’t begrudge them their usual lack of interesting behavior during daylight which is the typical time for this nocturnal species to be resting and sleeping. After all, I’m not particularly animated or vivacious during my normal sleeping time either…
Ron
Interesting concept, being animated and vivacious during sleep… Beautiful photos!
One man’s “lack of interesting behavior” would be another one’s (THIS ONE’S!) total thrill at simply being able to watch a Barn Owl!
Jaw-dropping quality photographs and extremely interesting notes on behavior.
Thank you, Ron! My day is complete.
Ha! Very nice. For me it’s always a bonus to get some, ANY behavior! I have dozens and dozens of cute pics of burrowing owls, but they are rarely more than a portrait. So I was absolutely thrilled the other day to get an action shot of one of them puking up a pellet. My non-wildlife-enthusiast friends aren’t appreciating why I’m so in love with that shot.
I’m coming to this photo late in the day, and just wanted to express my appreciation, too! I’m always eager to learn about barn owls, and very much look forward to the information you provide. Thanks!
Oh bliss. I had a bad night and get up to sheer joy. Thank you. And I was amazed at how delicate birds could be growing up. My mother had a cockatoo. He escaped from his aviary early – ate his way out, and was never recaged. He spent his days in the garden, checking out the fruit and vegetables. Strawberries were a particular favourite. But they had to be completely ripe. If they weren’t he would put them back, unharmed, and move on to the next. He would groom my father and with his powerful and dangerous beak and extract hairs (one at a time) from my father’s ears. And apparently (not sure I believe him) it was painless.
Wonderful behavior images Ron. Interesting to see how delicate they can be with those claws.
Excellent as usual Ron, Man, those talons are fierce!!
Beautiful bird, many thanks for sharing the images.
Every time I look at these images, again, especially images 2, 3 and 4, I can’t help thinking, “X marks the spot for vole removal”…
Just fantastic behavioral shots Ron! Thanks for sharing!
Charlotte
Hi Ron,
I just wanted to say nice shots.
Hi Lee, And thank you.
I love barn owls, too. I hope they are having a better year this year.
So far I think they are “having a better year”, Tana. I base that on the fact that they haven’t been actively hunting during daytime except on rare occasions. As a bird photographer I miss having that opportunity with them in daylight but as a bird lover I’m glad I don’t…
Wonderful how the soft colors, feathery texture of the phragmites echos those of the owl, whose soft, warm blend of colors makes it one of my favorites. Its spots always makes me think of a sprinkle of stardust or stars. It seems that so often “good bird photographers” go for the pretty shots, birds perched somewhere or, maybe, flying, but you go for so much more. The behaviors you catch, and the comments you make to go with them, are what make your blog so special–always interesting, informative and FUN! For someone who can’t be “out there anymore (but sure wishes they could,) this is almost as good. Thank you for choosing this route. I love it!!!I
Thanks very much, Patty – what you’ve said here means a lot. It’s nice to know that others appreciate the behaviors I’m so interested in. And I sometimes wonder if my narrative is occasionally a bit too frivolous so I appreciate that part of your comment also.
Great picts of the barn owl. They are so amazing to watch at night. (You must watch one of the live owl cams). They become an incredible family unit and are very active!!
I have watched some of those cams before and you’re absolutely right, Ellen.