Eurasian Eagle Owl. I wanted to capture the intense hard stare and brilliance of their unique coloration of their eyes. One of the world's most striking owls and largest of the owl members. They are known for their dramatic pumpkin colored eyes and large ear tuffs.
During the first half of the 1900s, Eurasian Eagle-owl populations declined drastically. Humans hunted and poisoned them and, as you can imagine, they had a hard time surviving. Happily, local governments have begun to increase their protection of these owls, and some reintroduction programs have taken place. Thanks to these efforts, the Eurasian Eagle-owl is recovering in Europe although their numbers still haven't returned to what they were before the mid-1900s. Electrocution and collisions with cars continue to be a problem for this extraordinary raptor.