Speck did well in its first match, with a solid win over the Great Grey. This handsome and intelligent looking owl really won the crowd over.
Meanwhile, Screech Owl has a bit of a rocky start for a returning final 4 owl. The Philippine Scops and its nebula eyes almost took its place. Maybe just early round jitters?
The Spectacled and the Screech are significantly different from each other. Speck had been featured from time to time, especially the one from Suffolk Owl Sanctuary. It seems to be doing a bit better here then it normally does.
The Screech is very popular. I don’t think we’ve likely ever gone a week without a Screech Owl or two. We like it awake, we like it sleepy, we like it angry. But have we gotten bored with this little one?
Who are you going to choose? You’ve got 2 good choices here. Upvote your favorite now!
#superbowl #owloftheyear2024
If it was only the OP - speck wins hands down. But the red screech… I’ve been charmed!
That’s why they get a few pics, so I can highlight diff attributes to give them maximum appeal!
I try to work a nice variety into the sets. Last year I started to go over my 3 pic limit and it got too crazy, but a decent number of these owls come in a few variations.
Screech has red, grey, and brown.
Snowy has all white males, speckled females.
Great Horned goes from brown to grey as it gets in colder climates.
I want to give them all an equal shot, so it’s a challenge to encapsulate so much goodness into 3 or 4 pics.
Thank you for running this! It’s a great contest to have; I’m also learning a thing or too!
I’m glad to hear that!
I try to make learning fun here. The owls are indeed fascinating to look at, but more than that, they have so many cool adaptations that make them so interesting to learn about.
I’ve been seeing many new names in the comments, and growing the gang is also a secondary purpose of the games, so I hope everyone stays around after it’s over. We have lots of fun the whole year and you don’t want to miss it.
Spectacled Owl
The pic in the post is doing this owl dirty. The additional pics show this is clearly the superior owl, but the pic in the post lets it seem like a scared grandma.
Aww I liked it…
This one is spectacular
Spectaculared Owl!
Screech Owl
Hard choice!
They’re both really good owls!
I’m a bit shocked by Screech’s faltering in the polls overall, as it’s always popular.
It’s one of my favorite things about this whole contest though, how you guys can push things in a different way so quickly.
Yeah really hard choice this one, both strong contenders
I wouldn’t have thought this one would be going this way a week ago, with Speck taking a comfy lead over the Screech. That’s half the fun though!
grumble grumble… these guys… voting out the Long Ear again…
Ah, yes, welcome to the next match!
White Faced Scops continued on by a decisive show of support over the ever beautiful in every way, yet somehow not too flashy at the same time Long Eared Owl.
WFS is holding steady in the polls, but Snowy is still up a few points and Saw Whet and Morepork are catching up fast.
Whoever wins between the Screech and Speck will be the Scops’ next challenger.
grumble grumble… these guys… voting out the Long Ear again…
Wait?! When did this happened ??
Guys… Are you for real?The lack of love this group gives some like the Great Grey I can understand, even if I don’t agree with it.
The Long Ear ticks all the boxes:
- Long plumicorns
- Interesting patterns
- Orange eyes
- Great facial extensions
- Actually hangs out with other owls
- Looks peaceful but can fight well
- Hunts wide variety of things
- Lives in North America and Europe
Yet still I feel it underperforms in the likes every time I post one.
I don’t think I could ever pick a single favorite owl, but whatever top list I could make would need to have LEO on it.
I don’t get it either. Long Ear Owl ❤️
(photo from hawkmountain.org, photo by Jamie Lehn)(I just found it in a google search)That’s a good pic.
I need to get to Hawk Mountain one of these days. It’s about an hour from me, but in the middle of nowhere.
