21st Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Short-Eared Owl Aerial Maneuvers

On most days short-eared owls come out at dusk when it's difficult to photograph them. They prefer large fields and generally have no good reason to fly near humans. But, on this day, they came out early and battled each other for 90 minutes. They never actually hunted for prey during this time. I'll never know if they were friend or foe but they put on an unforgettable aerial display.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 01.2022
Date Uploaded: 11.2023
Photo Location: Middletown, Delaware, United States of America
Copyright: © Phil McGrew
Awards
Photo of the Day: 02.07.24