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![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/short-eared-owl-7339-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-7339-ron-dudley\\"")
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1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I photographed\u00a0these birds\u00a0in June of 2011 in southwestern Montana’s Red Rock Lakes National Wildlife Refuge. This is the male who was already established on the territory and bonded\u00a0to a female. But on this morning at least one other male repeatedly challenged him for that territory and\/or the female. She just sat on the ground and watched all the action take place.<\/p>\n When this photo was taken\u00a0multiple attacks had already occurred\u00a0and he’s waiting for yet another approach\u00a0from the interloper. He’s not watching me, instead he’s scanning the horizon behind me for yet another attack from the challenging male. He does seem to have an attitude.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n He usually waited on the ground for the attack to begin and if the challenger came in too close he would leap up and present his talons in defense.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n This time he only did so half-heartedly because the intruder wasn’t particularly close but a few seconds later he…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n took off and challenged the interloper directly. I really wish this photo wasn’t so dreadfully soft but you still get the picture…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2500, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n One\u00a0time\u00a0the intruder came in very high (several hundred feet) so the established\u00a0owl lifted off and flew up at a very steep angle to challenge him. I could barely see this owl in the\u00a0grass before he took off and here he has his eyes on the interloper high above.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1600, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n If the intruder didn’t come in too close\u00a0when he approached low to the ground the defending owl didn’t rise up and present his talons and just watched as the other owl passed by so sometimes these encounters didn’t result in actual fights. But\u00a0other times\u00a0they did.<\/p>\n I’ve posted these last two photos before but they’re the best shots I was able to get of the action so I decided to present them again (if for nothing else than their entertainment value).<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/1250, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n I never did see these owls actually grapple with each other in the air but they came very, very close and the defensive bird was extremely acrobatic in how he presented his talons in flight – to the point that he…<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1\/2000, f\/7.1, ISO 500, Canon 7D, Canon EF 500mm f\/4L IS USM + EF 1.4\u00a0Extender, not baited, set up or called in<\/em><\/p>\n sometimes looked pretty silly. This might be the most unusual raptor flight posture I’ve ever captured.<\/p>\n Now that my photography skills are\u00a0better developed I’d give a lot to have another chance at these fighting owls. But these photos, flawed as\u00a0some of them\u00a0are, sure bring back wonderful memories of a spectacular Montana morning that will never leave me.<\/p>\n Ron<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Photographing these owls fighting over territory was the chance of a lifetime for me.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/featheredphotography.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/short-eared-owl-7430-ron-dudley.jpg\" "\\"short-eared-owl-7430-ron-dudley\\"")
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