Long-eared Owl

Ear tufts up, orange facial disk glowing, and golden eyes drifting half-closed: this Long-eared Owl wears the drowsy, heavy-lidded look of a bird settled in at its daytime roost. Long-eared Owls are some of the most secretive owls in North America. They roost tucked against tree trunks in dense cover, often in northern woodlands like Minnesota's, and hunt only after dark. A clean, eye-level look like this is a rare gift for any birder. The dark, soft background lets every vermiculated feather and that sleepy, half-lidded gaze carry the frame.