Show your Bird Portraits

[serendipidy]

Here are three owls: an Eastern Screech Owl, a Great Horned Owl, and a Barred Owl.

Great owl shots - are they all wild?  If so, I'm extremely impressed.  If not, they are still beautiful photos, but I will know you, too, are a mere mortal.  I love owls, but they are so freaking hard to find out in the wild!  Here's my best owl shot to date - a very noisy little Barred Owl:

Great shot!

In India there is a common insult dished out with the phrase "Ullu ke Patthe", the literal translation of which works out to "Owl's disciple". Owls are considered pretty dumb birds and the phrase "Ullu ke Patthe" is used to call someone an "Idiot". Most average Indians use this phrase a fair few times in a day!

Very few Indians can look at an owl shot without a chuckle.   

Cheers ... J.R.

In parts of the western world, owls are considered wise (even though they are not).
"The origin of the wise owl dates all the way back to Greek mythology. The owl represents Athena who was the goddess of wisdom."-source: Yahoo voices, Rachel Ellis, Yahoo Contributor Network

[Jack Douglas]

A wise owl sat in a tree
The less he spoke the more he heard
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird ......  or something like that - it's been a really long time since I read it to my kids.

Jack

[Eldar]

A wise owl sat in a tree
The less he spoke the more he heard
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird ......  or something like that - it's been a really long time since I read it to my kids.

Jack

That's a good saying. But on the other hand, when people are quite it is often because their mind is somewhere else and they're not listening either ...

[Jack Douglas]

Ah, people have all kinds of problems, it's the birds who have it right.  I need to check - I'm sure there is more to that nursery rhyme.

But you're right we need to listen and not just be quiet.  Funny how these pictures speak to me so clearly without words.  OK, I better stop the nonsense here, sorry!

Jack

[Mr Bean]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

[Click]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

Very nice shot Mr Bean.  That's a really strange looking bird.

[mackguyver]

Interesting owl comments, particularly the ones about India vs. the United States.  I liked that owl in flight shot, too.  I have a barred owl that lives in my area and he flew through my backyard one evening, just like that.  I was nowhere near my camera of course.  Wild owls are SO hard to spot, as illustrated by one of my favorite owl photos:
http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-of-the-day/eastern-screech-owl-georgia/

[ERHP]

Here are three owls: an Eastern Screech Owl, a Great Horned Owl, and a Barred Owl.

Great owl shots - are they all wild?  If so, I'm extremely impressed.  If not, they are still beautiful photos, but I will know you, too, are a mere mortal.  I love owls, but they are so freaking hard to find out in the wild!  Here's my best owl shot to date - a very noisy little Barred Owl:

That's a pretty cool little owl.  Would love to get one that close in the wild.

@Pugshot - Great shots.  I especially liked the last one you posted.  Rescue center birds and mammals tend to still have that spark of wild in their eyes, vice the zoo animals that are often born in captivity.

[Jack Douglas]

Here's the correct version from 1800's Britain, apparently used by the US army to suggest silence on secrets.

A wise old owl lived in an oak
The more he saw the less he spoke
The less he spoke the more he heard.
Why can't we all be like that wise old bird?

Jack

[Mr Bean]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

Very nice shot Mr Bean.  That's a really strange looking bird.

Thanks Click. And they have an even stranger "call" if I can call it that. Its a deep, but soft booming sound that you can hear at night.

[ERHP]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

And with a little one.  Pretty cool.  Reminds me of the Nighthawk and Whip-Poor-Will's.  Could always hear them at night but never saw one in person.

[Jack Douglas]

Thanks to all for the recent very interesting shots!

Jack

[Northstar]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

Nice shot!  At first glance I didn't even notice the baby in the shot. 

I wish I could blend in that well with my couch when the wife comes looking for me to do some chores...chuckle.

[Mr Bean]

Tawny Frogmouth with baby. A week ago, I found the body of one chick, on the ground, beneath this nest. Fortunately, they had a second one to show off
5D3 with 300mm f4 + 1.4x TC

Nice shot!  At first glance I didn't even notice the baby in the shot. 

I wish I could blend in that well with my couch when the wife comes looking for me to do some chores...chuckle.

Thanks ERHP and Northstar.
@Northstar....LOL 

[Synkka]

Good shot Mr Bean. They sure are ugly looking baby birds, bush turkey babies give them a run for their money though.