#superb owl

[redscharlach]

Fishbourne Roman Palace's Bluesky account posted this adorably scuzzy owl mosaic for Superb Owl Sunday. I feel him very deeply, so I drew him.

[bethanythebogwitch]

I heard it's Superb Owl Sunday so I have prepared some superb owls for you.

The barn owl is the most widespread species of owl, living on every continent except Antarctica. Their faces are shaped like a disk to help their hearing, giving them some of the best hearing of any owl. They mostly hunt by sound.

Snowy owls are the largest arctic predatory birds, They are born with black feathers and get whiter as they age. Females usually have more dark feathers than males.

Eastern screech owls have a few feather variants that make them look like completely different species.

The southern white-faced owl can increase its metabolic rate during winter to compensate for the cold and lack of food. They lay their eggs in nests built and abandoned by other birds.

The great grey owl is the largest owl by length, but a lot of that is feathers and they're actually very light for their size. Their hearing is good enough to hear rodents burrowing through snow and they can break through hard-packed snow to catch prey.

Blakiston's fish owl is the largest owl by mass and eats mostly fish. Despite the name, they may be more closely related to eagle owls than fish owls.

The elf owl is the smallest owl species, barely larger than a sparrow. They hunt bugs and play dead when caught. They like to live in holes in saguaro cacti.

Burrowing owls live in underground burrows. While they can dig, they mostly take over burrows from other animals. Farmers killing prairie dogs has severely reduced burrowing owl populations. They decorate their burrows with feces to attract bugs to eat.

The barking owl is called that because

Its nice to have a day to appreciate superb owls. Feel free to spread the love by reblogging with some more owl facts.

[cottoncandysprite]

Happy superb owl to all who celebrate

[jadafitch]

Northern saw-whet for Superb Owl Sunday

[amnhnyc]

Knock knock. Hoo’s there? It’s Superb Owl Sunday, that’s hoo! You know who didn’t roll their eyes at that joke? Owls. Because their eyes are so large, owls *can't* roll them. Instead, they rely on their necks (which can rotate 270 degrees!) to expand their fields of vision.

From scorching deserts to frozen tundras and everywhere in between, owls can be found in some of the world’s most diverse habitats. They’ve also been around for… a while. In fact, scientists have discovered fossilized owl remains that are approximately 60 million years old!

Photo: Caleb Putnam, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons (Bubo virginianus pictured)

[queersatanic]

big day for Stolas, Great Prince of Hell, and all who venerate

[serpent-of-hope]

*Propaganda, fun facts, and owl pics under the cut

BARN OWL:

Last year's winner and our current reigning champion, the Barn Owl is back to defend their title! What makes the Barn Owl so popular? Their haunting face? Their screeching cries? Their vast range - nesting on every continent save Antarctica, vastly increasing their chance of being your local owl? Only you can say! And only you can secure the Barn Owl's victory for another year!

PYGMY OWL:

Meet the pygmy, an owl species so small that they are better called owlets! Don't underestimate these hunters, they're locked in a standing war with the songbirds - the owls swallowing the songbirds up and the songbirds retaliating by mobbing the owls in large flocks.

SNOWY OWL:

Known by many names: the polar owl, white owl, and Arctic owl among them, this is the largest North American owl by weight. Most snowy owls are barred with dark brown markings (like the one pictured here). If you see a pure white owl, it's a sure sign you've found a mature male.

EURASIAN EAGLE OWL:

Swooping in to riotous demand, behold the Eurasian Eagle Owl!

To all those mortally offended by the accidental exclusion of the Eurasian Eagle Owl last year, please accept this offering, of a link to Episode 100 of the very excellent podcast Beyond Blathers, bringing you 48 delightful minutes of Eurasian Eagle Owl facts and stories:

SAW-WHET OWL:

The most common owl in North American forests, the saw-whet owl calls through the evening skies with a high-pitched call like a saw being sharpened on a whet stone - hence the name.

SPECTACLED OWL:

The smart-looking Spectacled Owl makes its home in mature rainforest, though they have been known to venture into the desert for food. You'll know these owls by sight, thanks to their distinctive mask, and by sound, making a vibrating call like someone shaking a thin sheet of metal.

SCREECH OWL:

As the name suggests, you'll hear these owls before you see them, and you might think you're being haunted if you do! You might also be able to track them by their owl pellets - regurgitated packets of undigestable bones, fur, and feathers - littered around their nesting sites.

BARRED OWL:

You'll know Barred Owls when you hear them, calling "Who cooks for you? Who? Who? Who cooks for you?" through the dark of night. Compared to other owls, Barred Owls don't migrate. Fossils of this bird dating back 11,000 years have been found in Ontario

GREAT HORNED OWL:

Also called a tiger owl, a winged tiger, or a tiger of the air, these birds are fierce predators, capable of besting other raptors - including the barred owl. They are so strong, that it takes 28lbs of force to open their claws.

BURROWING OWL:

As the name suggests, these owls prefer nesting in the abandoned burrows of other underground-dwelling animals to roosting in the trees! though their nests may be pre-owned, these owls have been known to decorate with bottle caps and bits of foil or paper. By the same grounded preference, you're more likely to spot one running after its prey than flying, making good use of their long legs.

LONG-EARED OWL:

With a permanent expression of someone who just caught got doing something they're not supposed to, these owls are indeed sneaks, opting to claim nests built by others rather than constructing their own. But for all their sneaky ways, Long Eared Owls are among the friendliest, roosting in groups of up to 150 members.

BLACKISTON'S FISH OWL:

Standing at 70cm tall, the Blakiston's Fish Owl reigns in Northeast Asia as the largest living owl on earth. True to their name, they eat mostly fish and have no trouble diving from the skies in pursuit of a trout, pike, salmon.

[gloryofwinter]

Happy "Superb Owl" Sunday to all those who celebrate 🦉

[cat-cosplay]

Happy Superb Owl Sunday!

[windy-mover]

i was at work making superbowl cakes and i was like hmm i don't really give a shit about football. you know what i do give a shit about? the shit and fart show

[u2fangirlie-blog]

Superb Owl Party 2025

Welcome to my Superb Owl party! Greetings owl!

Please enjoy these poorly made posters - with typos and all the skill of a middle school art student.

You are invited to your neighbor's annual Superb Owl party where you will meet the guests of honor who are vying for the title of Superb Owl.

Is that that a football or an owl's egg?

Remember, this is a human party and you should blend in. Do not unalive any guests.

[Yes. I know sign has typos. But it has GLITTER! A bloody stupid vampire made the posters.]

Now it is time to vote for the owl that is the greatest owl of all time!

Let me introduce the five contestants in the 2025 Superb Owl Contest. @herpsandbirds Paxon - I hope you approve!

Angelina - Stygian Owl

Angelina was a classical opera singer with a vocal range of four octaves. She became the lead singer of the metal band Talons of Death. The wildly popular band recorded two gold albums: Prey for Mercy and Night Screechers. Stygian owls have golden yellow eyes which glow red in low light, earning the nickname the devil’s owl. When not on the road with the band, she teaches music in local public schools.

Benjamin - Spot-Bellied Eagle Owl

Benjamin works for the United States Postal Service. He delivered bills and junk mail. Years of dedication, hard work, and attention to detail advanced his career. Now he works in the Dead Letter office deciphering illegible handwriting on envelopes in the Great Lakes district office. He enjoys chess and reading spy thrillers and murder mystery novels.

Bunny - Screech Owl

Bunny was a child star actor in popular nature shows, including Into the Wild with Jack Hanna. She was the runner-up for national bird of the United States, just behind the bald eagle. Today she models for Audubon and Birds and Blossoms. She creates mixed media artwork and builds avant-garde nests that are shown in art galleries around the world.

Jared - Spectacled Owl

Jared is a respected pundit and scholar of political science and philosophy. He is best known for his work on Foucault’s panopticon and state sponsored surveillance to control citizens. He’s an outspoken political activist. He enjoys world travel and eating exotic foods.  Recently, he wrote a dystopian science fiction novel and is waiting for a publisher to pick up the manuscript.

Nigel - Great Gray Owl

Nigel is in his third term as Prime Minister of the Parliament of Owls. His passion for serving owls and other species led to a life-long career in politics. He works for a better world for all animals and plants. His actions center on legislation to protect migration routes, conservation of wilderness habitats, and protection of endangered species. He enjoys touring the national parks and vacations in a cabin at Lake Tahoe.

Who is the superb owl! Please vote! Does anyone know how to create a poll? Please vote in the notes. Thanks!

Note: At the hospital were I work, the social wellbeing committee is having an office decorating contest for the Super Bowl. I work as an admin. assist. in a department currently has two people - myself and my boss. The office has space for 12 cubicles, and I'm the only one working here. The boss is only at the business offices one day a week, otherwise she's over at the main campus. To complicate matters, the office is locked on both sides and very few people ever come in. [Technically, my position is part of the administrative team, over on the main campus, but I never see anyone. Only one admin. assist. works with me remotely.] So how do I: 1) participate in social wellbeing and engage with coworkers, 2) decorate an office that is isolated from the outside world, 3) cleverly mock a sports event, and 4) be my true weird self? I choose the Superb Owl Party!

To make the decorations visible for people in the business center campus, I put the decorations in the hallway. We have a big white board that isn't attached to the wall. I put the posters on the white board and slid it out into the hallway! Then I notified a few people in other offices, "Hey, I decorated for the super bowl. Come over and see." And then I put out a little basket with a pen and sticky notes for people to cast their votes. At the end of the day on Friday, Bunny was the winner.

[scottpartridge]

It's #SuperbOwlSunday again (despite all the talk about eagles) and this year my #SuperbOwl is the #CrestedOwl, also prompt 8 (Long) of #feathruary2025 hosted by @mischievousredfox and @projectparlor

[todayontumblr]

Monday, February 12.

The Superb Owl cometh.

The Owl is here. After all, there are owls, and then there are Owls. This would be the latter.    This is the superb owl. You may not like it, but this is what peak owl performance looks like. After 32 owls, a playoff between 12, and the final between the two elite competitors, we have this year's champion at last.   Just kidding—all owls are superb. Every last one: barn, snowy, great grey, or boreal, it matter not. So, to celebrate the arrival of all of this year's exemplary specimens, we have gathered a selection of these beloved (and mostly) nocturnal friends. Starting with this pal, who looks like an apple.

[thevaranianscribe]

Happy Holiday, to all who celebrate.

[ralfmaximus]

c'mon meteor strike

[amnhnyc]

Knock knock. Hoo’s there? It’s Superb Owl Sunday, that’s hoo! You know who didn’t roll their eyes at that joke? Owls. Because their eyes are so large, owls *can't* roll them. Instead, they rely on their necks (which can rotate 270 degrees!) to expand their fields of vision.

From scorching deserts to frozen tundras and everywhere in between, owls can be found in some of the world’s most diverse habitats. They’ve also been around for… a while. In fact, scientists have discovered fossilized owl remains that are approximately 60 million years old!

Photo: JelleGrutterink, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons (Bubo bubo pictured)