A rare opportunity to see a Long-eared Owl up-close

It is hard to spot an owl. Long-eared Owls are particularly elusive with their incredible camouflage, concealment techniques, and preference for hard to access thickets. So while most people go their whole life and never see one; it is a very rare opportunity to see a Long-eared Owl up-close.

On Saturday, the Owl Research Institute spent a day in the field with the Missoula Audubon Society. While we were busy collecting data on the Long-eared Owls, one of the participants, Jeff Hawk, was busy capturing these photos. Because they provide an incredible opportunity to examine Long-eared Owl anatomy, we had to share.

We are always so grateful to the talented and generous photographers who capture beautiful images of owls, and our research, with astonishing clarity. Thanks for joining us and sending these fantastic pictures, Jeff - we appreciate them so much!

As always, this owl was released back into the wild immediately after our data collection was complete.