I've heard all about the voracity and bloodlust of the Great Horned Owl, one of North America's top predators...but more often than not, they are portrayed in the Birdosphere as cute (yet magnificent) birds with fuzzy owlets who give people funny looks because they are trying to go back to sleep. I've seen quite a few of these birds over the years and can't say my experiences have been much different.
Today's photo puts their harmless reputation to rest; this owl was proudly showing off the Barn Owl it had recently killed. Pretty gnar if you ask me. I had found Barn Owl remains in the past that I suspected were Great Horned Owl kills, but this is the first time I'd caught a bird red-taloned. Literally. Photographed at Point Reyes, CA.
Wow, that is some catch - for both of you!
ReplyDeleteNow, that is one bad ass photo...guess the Great Horned Owl doesn't even cut one of its own kind a break. Amazing shot!!!
ReplyDeleteThat is intense! And also fucking awesome.
ReplyDelete"what the...?!? But...?!? Gagh!"
ReplyDeleteHard to spell my reaction before I even knew what it was. Just knew it was a raptor-licious creature of some kind. Man, how high on the food chain do they want to be? Makes me dizzy, and afraid of micrograms of mercury.
Amazing.
Awesome.
THANK YOU! =)
Whoa, cool shot! Chicks are cute too, but beware...
ReplyDeleteWe're no longer merely viewing the "tame" documentaries presented in the wildlife programs of the 1960's and relatively shortly thereafter. A local study of the ultra cute Burrowing Owl both visually and through its call certainly should not discount what this species certainly does for survival. It was a lifetime memory observing a BUOW taken down by a Cooper's Hawk earlier this year. Your observation is an excellent documentation.
ReplyDeleteHoly shit, that's an amazing capture.
ReplyDeleteGHO regularly feast on the BO fledglings from our nest boxes. Every night, one less set of baby screeches as they learn to fly.
ReplyDelete