Image of the Month
Northern
Hawk Owl
Surnia ulula (Linnaeus)
I came across this northern hawk
owl recently in Alaska. It was a very willing subject as it let us approach and photograph
it while it casually looked for voles scampering through the coastal grasses of the
Bearing Sea and napped.
The hawk owl is atypical of most
owls because it hunts during daylight hours, using its sight more than its hearing to
locate its prey. They are usually found perched on the top of a tree stump shrub from
which it can scan open areas for its prey. The call of the owl varies between several
different calls, one is a hawk-like chattering "ki-ki-ki-ki-ki".
It got its name because of its
similarities in both behavior and appearance with a typical hawk. The hawk owl is about 16
inches long with a wing spread of around 30 inches. It has a small black-bordered facial
disk which is abbreviated in the brow region over the bright yellow eyes. The wings are
large and, unlike those of most owls, pointed at the ends. The tail is very long for an
owl and tapers at the end. The underside is barred with brown transverse bars on white.
Its flight is low and swift, the pointed wings, long tail, and swift flight give it a
hawk-like appearance. The hawk owl's diet consists mainly of voles and mice. The owls
regurgitate small pellets of bones and hair.
Travel
safe and Good Shooting!
Nikon D1,
Nikon 600f4 AF-I, Gitzo G1548 tripod w/ Arca Swiss B-2, Lexar 128 10X FlashCard.
