State 50 - Wyoming
Teton Raptor Center - Wilson, WY
This is a Short Eared Owl rescued by the people at Teton Raptor Center. No story on this guy, it was just one of their patients getting its daily checkup.
The boop test
While mainly a research and rehab facility, you can take part in one of their on site educational experiences and meet some of their educational animals.
Unlike other owls that like to live deep in the woods, the Short Eared Owl lives on the ground. They find a nice, elevated spot and dig out a small depression and line it with grass.
They can also travel very long distances, migrating up to 1200 miles / 2000 km and there had been record of an owl landing on a ship in the Pacific Ocean over 600 miles / 1000 km from land.
Discovering the New World
This amazing ability for travel likely explains why these owls are found across the world on every continent but Antarctica.
Baby toes
So that's that for the 50 States of Owls. There are of course hundreds more places to go to see owls, but I hope you guys have heard some neat stuff, and I hope some of you go check these places out. This is an experience that is better in person.
To see how big or small some of these birds are, to watch their peculiar movements, to see the range of facial expressions and body postures, and to not hear them when they fly. These are some of the things pictures can't give you all the details of.
Building a closer relationship with animals helps remind us why we need to make responsible choices in our daily lives. It's easy to forget some of the fellow creatures we share our home with, especially silent nighttime ones.
I hope you've enjoyed this series. I'll keep posting neat little owls, I'm still keeping my eyes out for new ones. As always, if there's anything particular you want to see, let me know.
The owl-related posts on my feed are always welcome! Thanks for sharing the pictures and the stories!
As long as you guys keep liking them, I'll keep posting them!