A way cool bird! I frequent areas of the plains where these guys are found but have never seen one in the wild. At a recent photoshoot with HawkQuest, I finally got to see one in person.

This particular owl was found tangled in a barbed wire fence in Kansas and, unfortunately, lost much of its right wing. As a result, it couldn’t be released back into the wild but it has a new lease on life as an educational ambassador with the non-profit organization.

This is probably my favorite capture of it from the day as it does a nice job showcasing its beautiful plumage and those brilliant, yellow eyes. As a bonus, we get a great look at the deadly talons and even its ear tufts.