![\"short-eared-owl-7432\"](\"http:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/06\/short-eared-owl-7432.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-7432\\"")
<\/a><\/p>\nCanon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0Often one male would be on the ground when the other male would swoop in on him.\u00a0 Here the foreground bird has just lifted off to meet his adversary.<\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n As was often the case the birds didn’t make actual contact.\u00a0 In researching this behavior I’ve learned that they will sometimes lock talons and fall to the ground before releasing.\u00a0 I suspect that as they rush toward each other they look for a weakness in defense – if they spot one in the other birds defensive body position they would likely make\u00a0aggressive contact.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n Most of the time both birds stayed on the ground or flew very low but occasionally one of the owls would fly several hundred feet up and circle over the other male (and the female, who was on the ground watching the entire process) and then begin a wing-clapping display that is part of an acrobatic\u00a0 aerial display called “sky dancing”.\u00a0 In this behavior the owl shows exaggerated wing beats and claps the wing tips together that makes a sound that resembles a person slapping their thigh with an open hand at a fast speed.\u00a0 I could hear the sound very clearly even with the bird flying so high.<\/p>\n One of the males\u00a0had been\u00a0performing this clapping display which apparently didn’t sit well with the male on the ground so it took off and rose to challenge the show-off bird.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n Approaching the other male who is higher up…<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n Almost there…<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n This time I thought the aggressor might actually make physical contact since the other bird doesn’t seem to be in a very effective defensive posture<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n But he didn’t.\u00a0 The aggressor, on the left, seems to have deliberately aimed behind the other owl and I don’t believe they made actual contact.<\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/1250, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n Most of the time the aggression played out\u00a0 very close to the ground.\u00a0 Often both birds would be on the ground several hundred yards apart but watching each other intently when one would take off and rush the other.\u00a0 Typically the owl on the ground would wait to the last-minute to pop up and present its talons defensively.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n And again, no apparent contact.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n Canon 7D, 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, 500 f\/4, 1.4 tc<\/em><\/p>\n The bird being attacked often had to place his body in some pretty strange positions in order to have his talons presented effectively.\u00a0 Here the attacking bird has just passed over and to the right.\u00a0 This owl is recovering from an upside down defensive position.<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n