Short-Eared Owl Landing #2

The Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is part of the genus Asio which includes owls with ear tufts, which resemble mammalian ears. It is a medium-sized... more

by Morris Finkelstein

Title

Short-Eared Owl Landing #2

Artist

Morris Finkelstein

Medium

Photograph

Description

The Short-Eared Owl (Asio flammeus) is part of the genus "Asio" which includes owls with "ear" tufts, which resemble mammalian ears. It is a medium-sized owl, measuring about 15 inches in length and about 12 ounces in weight. Its plumage is pale buffy overall, with streaks on its underside, and dark triangles around each big, yellow eye. Its head is disproportionately large, and its neck is short. Its tail and wings are barred. Ten subspecies have been described, and "flammeus" is the subspecies found in North America. This owl is widespread, being found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica. Short-Eared Owls are usually monogamous, and build nests on the ground in grassy habitats. They hunt mostly at night, and also after sunrise and before sunset, and prefer voles, but also may consume mice, moles, squirrels, and smaller birds; their diet is supplemented with insects. Populations of Short-Eared Owls in the southern United States are declining, and they have been listed as endangered in the State of New Mexico.

This Short-Eared Owl just landing on a tree while hunting, prior to sunset at Shawangunk Grasslands National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), in Wallkill, New York, was photographed on 2-13-2018. I used a Nikon D850 camera body and a Nikkor 500mm f/4.0E FL ED VR2 telephoto lens to capture this image. Settings: 1/2000 sec, f/6.3, ISO 560. This 565 acre NWR was established in 1999 on property previously used as a US Army Airbase from the 1940's until the 1970's. Shawangunk Grasslands NWR is presently one of the major habitats for migratory, grassland-dependent birds.

I am honored that my photograph was featured in the Fine Art America groups:
Birds In Focus, 2-22-2018
A Birding Group - Wings, 2-23-2018
USA Photographers Only, 2-23-2018
Images That Excite You, 2-17-2018
FAA Portraits - Birds, 2-28-2018
Five Star Artist, 3-1-2018
10 Plus, 3-1-2018
Poetic Poultry, 3-1-2018
Wild Birds Of The World, 3-1-2018
Premium FAA Artists, 3-1-2018
Country Life, 3-2-2018
Kingdom Animalia, 3-2-2018
Midwest America Photography, 3-5-2018
FAA Portrait Gallery, 3-7-2018
Wildlife One-A-Day, 3-7-2018
Nature Landmarks Landscapes Wildlife, 3-8-2018
Photography And Nature 101, 3-9-2018
Animal Photographs, 10-16-2018
The World We See Group, 11-22-2019
500 Views Share Group, 12-23-2019
Nikon Full Frame Cameras, 3-25-2020, 11-22-2019
1000 Views, 8-30-2021
Mid-Atlantic States Of The USA, 11-24-2021
Wonder Of Wings, 2-11-2022
100 Favorite, 2-16-2022

Second Place in FAA Contest
"Wild Owls - Photography Only"
10-13-2023; Admin. Larry Kniskern

Third Place in FAA Contest
"Adult Birds With Wings Wide Open"
3-10-2022; Admin. Siene Browne

First Place in FAA Contest
"Hello 2022 Contest" (1000 Views group)
1-21-2022; Admin. Christopher James

First Place in FAA Contest
"Owls And Books"
12-22-2021; Admin. Jeff Iverson

Second Place Finish in FAA Contest
"Full Bodied Raptors"
8-25-2019; Admin. William Tasker

KEYWORDS: short-eared owl landing #2, short-eared owl, asio flammeus, owl, raptor, bird of prey, bird, avian, predator, hunter, endangered, nature, natural, wild, wildlife, outdoors, wings, plumage, buffy, brown, orange, yellow eyes, looking, watching, alert, hunting, flying, flight, landing, tree, branch, grasslands, migratory, sunny, blue sky, one, winter, ecotourism, ecotravel, mid-atlantic, northeast, northeastern, shawangunk grasslands national wildlife refuge, wallkill, new york, morris finkelstein, st. louis, missouri, photograph, digital, horizontal, action, close up, portrait, nikon d850, photography

Uploaded

February 16th, 2018