Great Horned Owls and Horned Larks are species of birds that have ear tufts that I photograph regularly here in Utah. The female Horned Larks “horns” are not usually visible. This female was photographed near the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah.
Male Horned Lark
The “horns” of male Horned Larks are though and because the “horns” are a dark color they stand out more. This male was photographed near the Stansbury Mountains in Tooele County, Utah on a different day than the female above.
Female Great Horned Owl
The ear tufts of male and female Great Horned Owls are clearly visible and the size of the owls is how to determine gender. This female is larger than male Great Horned Owls. She was photographed on Antelope Island State Park in Davis County, Utah as she rested in a Tamarisk.
Male Great Horned Owl
This male was photographed on Antelope Island State Park in Davis County, Utah resting in the same Tamarisk on a different day than the female was photographed. The Tamarisk are an invasive species and have since been chopped down, I think it is a shame that the Tamarisks were not girdled which would have killed them but still left the dead Tamarisk for Owls and other birds of prey to use as perches.
It’s spring, isn’t it? How come there is snow on the ground this morning??? Springtime in Utah is fickle I tell you!
Great Horned Owl female in a granary window – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f6.3, 1/250, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
I love the combination of owls and old wooden buildings such as barns or granaries so when I get a chance to photograph them in that type of setting I jump at the opportunity. This female Great Horned Owl was resting at the opening of an old granary in Glacier County, Montana when I photographed her. I especially enjoy how her ear tufts are clearly visible, the great eye contact and the lovely view of her back.
Owls are a favorite subject for me anywhere I find them.
Great Horned Owlet – Nikon D200, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited
People are fascinated by owls, I know I am. It might be that owls have forward facing eyes like this Great Horned Owlet. Those eyes truly draw a person in.
I photographed this young Great Horned Owlet in Glacier County, Montana in 2009 as it rested on the foundation of an old granary, its siblings were somewhere inside the dark granary interior.
I normally don’t do clone work on my images but there was a bright pipe in the upper right hand corner that was distracting because it was bright and it didn’t look right with the rest of the old wood, rusty nails and spring green grass.
Great Horned Owl pair – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f6.3, 1/400, ISO 400, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 400mm, natural light, not baited or called in
This mated pair of Great Horned Owls were resting in the opening of an old granary in Glacier County, Montana when I photographed them in June of 2009. The male is on the left and the female on the right and their fledglings were most likely inside the granary.
Though I normally prefer birds in natural settings there is some thing about owls and old, weathered wood that I find visually appealing despite the “hand of man” in this frame.
Great Horned Owl fledgling in Glacier County, Montana – Nikon D200, tripod mounted, f6.3, 1/320, ISO 400, +0.3 EV, Nikkor 200-400mm VR with 1.4x TC at 272mm, natural light, not baited or called in
Currently throughout the breeding range of Great Horned Owls the owls have either begun to nest or have nested already. Great Horned Owls have a large range and are found in the U.S., Canada and Central America. Great Horned Owls can begin breeding as early as November in Florida and as late as May in the most northern part of their range.
This fledgling Great Horned Owl was photographed in the month of June in Glacier County, Montana in the window of an old granary, the strong winds in northern Montana have pushed the granary to a slant. Even at this young age the horns of the owlet were visible. Looking at this young Great Horned Owl I can visualize what it will look like as an adult and earns the nickname “Tiger of the Sky”.
*Because of Google’s changes it Image Search and how they have begun to hotlink to my larger images I will no longer post large versions of my files on my blog.
Female Horned Lark
Male Horned Lark
Female Great Horned Owl
Male Great Horned Owl
