From Albert Albadicio
Today was quite a challenge to go birding. We braved - 5 degree wind chills and Calgary's first snowfall of the year, in search for more owls to add to my list. And as the day dragged on we were already on our way back when we saw a tail on one of the short pine trees in the area. It was this cute Long-eared Owl. At 12-16 inches in length, these owls are smaller than the usual raptors in the area. To keep itself hidden from much larger predators, they occupy the smaller shrubs and trees, relying on their camouflage to conceal their presence. With the strong winds, and a pretty concealed owl, those blurred foreground leaves were actually covering much of the owl's wings. So I had to time this shot as the winds blew to get this view of the owl. At such cold temperatures though, it was excruciating to handhold the camera to say the least. But I was happy to go back with a few good frames, nevertheless.
The long ears and cute round face of the Long-eared Owl reminds me of Labubu dolls, a popular plush toy for kids nowadays.
The Long-eared Owl can be found in Europe, the Palearctic and North America. They are partially migratory, moving from one state to another in search of areas where prey is most abundant. As a result, they are one of the most widely distributed owls in the world. Long-eared Owls are currently listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.
