Welcome to the Owl of the Year!
We’ve seen a ton of great owls this year, but it is time to choose who is the most superb of all!
The White Faced Owl is your returning champion. Hailing from Africa, just about anywhere south of the equator, this smaller owl is adaptable to near anything it encounters. This is the famous “transforming owl” that can go from cute and fluffy, to long and skinny, to looking possessed by demons! It’s also one of only 3 owls studied for their amazing ability to seasonally adapt its metabolic rate, up to 45% to deal with climate extremes. Will this versatility keep it on the road to the title?
Looking to snatch a surprise victory is the masked bandit from the Andes, the Buff Fronted Owl. This owl just squeaked into the qualifying match and now gets to try to take down the king. Not too much is known about this dashing bird, but it lives in many environments in almost every South American country, inhabiting mountains, rainforest, and orchards and palm groves. Its closest genetic relative is actually Canada’s Saw Whet Owl. This owl has a great sense of style with a mysterious flair. Will the suave newcomer steal a win today?
Vote for your favorite below by upvoting your choice. Winner is the owl with the most upvotes after 24(ish) hours. Feel free to vote for both, but no downvotes, as they will be thrown out. A neutral third party will break any ties. Cast your vote now, and feel free to cheer on your choice in the comments, but no bashing the other owl or your fellow community members. They are all superb!
I was at a place with a few Saw Whets once, but they were hiding in the rafters and I only really saw their eyes. It took me like 3 visits to their enclosure to even see they were actually in there. Tiny little ones for sure.
I thought it’d be a bit more popular, but maybe it’s too new. I really like its look. Still not a total annihilation, and it’s got more votes here than in the qualifier, so it’s picking up some more fans.