Superbowl
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For owls that are superb.
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US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now
International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com
Australia Rescue Help: WIRES
Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org
If you find an injured owl:
Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.
Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.
Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.
If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.
For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.
Community Rules:
Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.
Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.
AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.
Also visit our twinned community for wholesome content:
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It has been another wild year here at Superbowl, and it's time to take a look back at all we've accomplished together this year!
As for our community itself, we've passed 5000 subscribers in September and are almost to 5400, so it looks like this year's Owl of the Year was a great recruiting push once again.
We won the Lemmy.world Lemmy Silver event, netting my wildlife clinic a nice €150 cash prize to support our owl patients.
Owl of the Year had some extremely tense matches this year, and the result is our first large owl to get the title, Buffy Fish Owl! The new banners and images have been up for a bit now, but if the way you access Superbowl doesn't show you that, here they are.
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I've ordered the new OotY donation tile in the community's name. Here's the mockup for now:
They changed the charity network this year, so there was some confusion if the character limit had changed from prior years, so I'm not exactly sure which we will get.
Speaking of the clinic, after 2 years of donating to them in honor of Owl of the Year, my ongoing interest in owls and bringing you guys owl facts got me to volunteer this year, and it's been life changing! I've met so many great people, helped a ton of animals get another chance at life, and learned so much. I've gotten to handle owls, of course, but also squirrels, flying squirrels, rabbits, about a dozen kinds of songbirds, and opposums. I've also fed raccoons, foxes, and a few types of hawk and a heron. And this coming year, I should be able to with with even more animals as long as my rabies antibody test comes back at a safe level. I even got to release a rehabbed Screech Owl at my house for my wife's birthday!
I usually share some specific goals for the next year, but I don't know if I have anything specific right now. This year has gone about as well as I could hope, sharing things with you all here. I much around the idea of expanding into covering other raptors, but the owls already keep me pretty busy, and I feel I'd have to do less owl stuff to get started on another thing. I think leaving that energy for IRL animal work or my other hobbies is more healthy for me.
Finally, let's look at my top posts of the year, and also a few good ones you may have missed. Honestly, there weren't too many this year that got less upvotes than expected. You all have been a really great and attentive bunch!
Top Posts by Me:
A Farewell to Zeus, The Owl with Galaxy Eyes
Would you like a large or small today?
A Word in Lobbying Efforts of Poison Manufacturers
Rare reddish-orange Snowy Owl in Huron County captivates birdwatchers
I've heard of close-ups, but this is ridiculous!
What You May Have Missed:
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated...
Watch That First Step! Baby owl survives 100ft / 30m fall
30 Way to Describe an Owl According to Kenojuak Ashevak
Traversing Russia's Remote Taiga in Pursuit of the Blakistons Fish Owl
Well, I hope you've had even half as much fun here as I have this year! For many reasons, this has felt like one very long year, but having you all here every day to share something fun with has been hugely impactful and positive for me.
Feel free to share any of your favorite owl moments!
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After a couple of failed attempts to find them in another area, I spent three days in a spot where multiple short eared owls had been spotted. There was a group of at least 4 in one field who'd come out each evening around sunset to hunt. During the day they'd be sitting camouflaged in the high grass.
What I found interesting is that even though they were hanging around near each other at rest, when it came time to hunt, they would frequently rush at each other and squabble. Clearly they weren't among friends.
Another funny behaviour was how they would react to crows that also hung around the field, and vice versa. It's common for crows to harass birds of prey in a group, loudly crying out (it's one way to find out where there are owls even). But these crows acted a bit differently. Individual crows would from time to time come and annoy an owl just sitting around minding its business, but not as frantically as I'm used to seeing them. But what was even more incredible, the owls would do the same to the crows. It happened several times, but I've not seen something like that before.
I had a blast watching these guys and gals, it was a great way to cap off 2025. With that, I wish all superbowlers a great end of 2025 and/or start of 2026!
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Lifer and my 13th species of owl in AB (Petit-duc des montagnes) (Southern AB - November 19, 2025)
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From Marcy Mohler
Female snowy owl at dusk.
Not as many Snowy owls as in past years unfortunately. I found a few but this lady was the best subject.
Dec 29., 2025
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From Paul Bannick
Central American Pygmy-Owl (Glaucidium griseiceps) Woodpeckers created cavities are the typical nest site for many species of owls, including the Central American Pygmy-Owl. This small owl (13-18cm/50-59g) can only be found on from on the lowland Caribbean slope from southeastern Mexico to western Ecuador.
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From Edwin Martinez
A very spectacular Spectacled!
This was one of the most immersive and species-rich tours we've ever led: 175 species seen and photographed by our guests during the Wide Horizon Photo Adventure 2025 Costa Rica tour.
For me, it was even more special - I was finally able to see and photograph one of my long-time personal targets and lifers, the Spectacled Owl. Uncommon yet instantly unforgettable, this massive, striking owl inhabits the humid evergreen forests of tropical lowlands and foothills. It typically roosts low to mid- level, expertly concealed in deep shadow, and flushes with ease.
Spectacled Owl - Adult
Costa Rica
November 2025
Canon EOS R5 Mark II + RF 100-500mm 1/350 F7.1 ISO 1600
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From Kenzo Pan
Lifer Alert! Barn Owl and Short Eared Owl flying together!
I had one of my most amazing birding experiences of 2025 a bit over 3 weeks ago. It was a particularly fantastic day for the shorties where they were quite numerous and flying close. I was taking photos of whatever bird stole my attention at any given moment. When I got home I was so excited to see that one of the many birds flying that day was a Barn Owl! I was even more excited to see it flying with a shorty! This was such a special lifer for me.
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From Kathy A King
Golden hour with the golden-eyed Burrowing Owl. I love how these birds make their homes right in the ground-true masters of the desert landscape. 🌵
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Hello from our resident Great Horned Owl, Jack!
A few things about our feathery friend:
He was discovered on the side of the road by a police officer as a fledgling (learning how to fly). He was brought to the Raptor Center and they deemed him healthy, but missing an eye, he has been with Three Rivers for the majority of his life and 21 years at Eastman.
He spends the majority of his time hanging out in his hutch and loves it in there.
The feathers on his head are called Plumicorns (say it out loud, it is such a fun word!) and aren't ears but feathers that scientists believe help Great Horned Owls blend in with trees. He always gets compliments on his beautiful plumicorns at the Raptor Center :)
He will be turning 23 in March. He is now considered a senior owl, but still in great health!
We love him and are so glad we get to care for him here at Eastman Nature Center!
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From Carlos A Carmona
Small, silent, and built for the night 🌲🦉The Boreal Owl proves you don't need to be big to rule the forest. Last year's irruption was beyond amazing. 🙏
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From Jim Burwell
The Saw-whet Owl. this little cutie caused quite a stir here in Tucson, Arizona. They are not native to the area so it attracted quite a crowd for at least a couple of weeks now. At some point, this little cutie will continue on with its migration and join its friends. 🌵
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“This is a photo of The Dude and his girlfriend, Ginger. Ginger has been in the box for a week or more as The Dude has given her his home, as he stands guard in the top of the pine tree during their days. I have seen him in the box with her on only a couple of occasions. One time when we had a cold night that dropped down to 28°. And then a few days ago when the marauding Blue Jays came in hard and fast, out numbering The Dude. He quickly hopped on down to the box and jumped in with his lady. He makes sure she is safe from the neighborhood thugs. Love these two.” Jeremy Zvitt
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I got a tip for a LEO winter roost and sped over when I got the chance. There were no less than 10 owls in the tree! Apparently this specific spot has seen up to 50-60 owls in some years. What's incredible is that this willow tree is right next to a primary school in the outskirts of a small city. There are people coming and going all the time. People know the owls are there and come have a look but they stay unbothered (they do peek at you lazily though). I really wonder why they picked this specific spot, it's really unexpected given how busy and loud it gets.
Here is a shot of another two amigos in the group:
And one more where I felt like going a bit more artsy:
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From Izzy Edwards
The Flammulated Owl is one of North America's most secretive nocturnal owl species!
This species is the smallest owl in my region of the PNW. They are primarily insectivores and do not have the adaption of silent flight that most owl species have evolved. In spring months, they migrate all the way from wintering grounds in Mexico to as far north as British Columbia, Canada!
These photos of two females individuals in hand help show their size!
Proper federal licenses used for handling and data collection.
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Eurasian scops owl
GRK || Gujarat || Nov 2025 with Great man of GRK Bharat Kapdi brother
GRK = Great Rann of Kutch = one of the largest salt marshes in the world at 7500 km², just under 3000 miles², or 1.8 million acres. For US people, that is 1.5 x the size of Delaware.
Gujarat = state in India
Bharat Kapdi = bird photographer/guide
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