The world’s smallest owl, the Elf Owl is tiny in stature, but no less a raptor than any of its bigger relatives. It lives in the North American Southwest and Mexico, calling hollowed out cacti their home. This vicious beast loves to snack on scorpions, roofing aside the stingers and chowing down. They aren’t much of a fighter, and will play dead to fake out any larger predator. Can this little darling show good things come in small packages?
The Long Eared Owl is found around the world in temperature climates north of the equator. The roost deep in the woods, but like hunting in open areas at the forest edge. They have a more specifically diet than most owls, sticking mainly to rodents, especially voles. Also unlike other owls, they aren’t especially territorial, and will move around a bit, being a bit nomadic, and they will even spend time around one another. They have lovely orange facial discs and yellow to orange eyes, giving them a lovely appearance, and of course those lovely long ears
Do you long to see the Long Ear go on, or will you raise the Elf up in the shelf of victory?
Vote for your favorite below by upvoting your choice. Winner is the owl with the most upvotes after 24(ish) hours. Feel free to vote for both, but no downvotes, as they will be thrown out. A neutral third party will break any ties. Cast your vote now, and feel free to cheer on your choice in the comments, but no bashing the other owl or your fellow community members. They are all superb!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
Long Eared Owl
Elf Owl
I’ll be updating the original pinned bracket thread with the up to date standings, so check there to follow along who won/lost.
I’ll post commentary on the results in the new daily polls on their respective sides of the bracket.
White Faced Owl is a great owl. He’s without doubt a very strong competitor this year, and I think it is positioned well to have a good shot at making the Final 4. I am sad to see Buff Fronted go so fast. I really love its look, like an angry banana bandit. It put up a good fight for a newcomer though and seemed to pick up some love. While I never see you guys talk much about WFS in the off season, it still stands out so strongly, and is going to give some of the more common owls we see here a hard time in the coming matches.
Tomorrow’s match between the North American Screech and the Philippine Scops should be interesting. Screech is super popular, but Philippine Scops is of a similar silhouette, but with a more dramatic and exotic appearance. Will the familiar comfort and adorable of the Screech put it ahead, or will the flashy and mysterious stranger pull an upset? I’m looking forward to finding out.
Long-eared is, of course, a favorite. Beautiful. Majestic, even.
But I gotta say - a scorpion muncher? Dag, yo that’s badass. Elf FTW.
Lives in the desert.
Smallest lil dude on the block, but holds its own.
Uses giant cactus like a chair.
Eats poison scorpions and spider like it’s popcorn shrimp.
That’s the kinda character you better stay on their good side.
You had me at “eats scorpions like popcorn shrimp”.
