We’ve got some stellar owls today! All 4 up for battle are some of my very favorites. Let’s meet them now!

For many here, the Great Horned will need no introduction. For so much of both American continents, this is one of the biggest, toughest birds around. It fights eagles, it cares nothing for the armor of porcupines or the chemical warfare of skunks as it is largely immune to both of them, making the GHO one of the few natural predators they have, and that resonant hoot that travels huge distances is a sound we all learn when we are young and still cherish in our later years as a requisite part of the night soundscape.

It is a large owl, with a crushing grip, estimated up to 500 psi, a clamping force higher than all but the largest military dogs’ jaws. It hunts whatever it wants, up to smaller turkeys.

While color variations change with the area and climate they live in, they all look great, and those massive feet, large yellow eyes, and large plumicorns help them strike a dramatic figure. Can this apex predator win the day?

The Sooty Owl is less known, living in some areas of Australia and New Guinea. They live in rainforest or eucalyptus forest.

They are medium, dark colored owls, with a pattern of white spots that give a feeling of staring into deep space. Their calls are long screeches of a descending tone, typically referred to as a “falling bomb” sound. They hunt all types of small land or arboreal mammals.

They are thought to be the 2nd largest of the barn owl genus, Tyto, being just smaller than the Tasmanian Masked Owl.

Will this dark stranger beat out the icon of the Americas? Vote now!

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      2·
      4 days ago

      Glad to see Sooty getting such love.

      Nervous to see it so close to beating one of my favs though!

      I love both so much.

  • Rob Bos@lemmy.caEnglish
    2·
    4 days ago

    One vote for Sooty. If incan have two, my partner also votes for Sooty.

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      3·
      3 days ago

      I didn’t see an upvote from you on either owl, so I’ll use you and your partner as the tiebreaker. That gives Sooty the win.

      My partner also favors Sooty over my desire to see GHO win, so it seems meant to be this way.

        • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
          3·
          3 days ago

          Yes, sorry for not being clear. I think I usually spend more time covering the rules in the early part of the tournament, but I’m a bit more time crunched than usual this year, so I’ve been skimping on some stuff.

          At least I saw there was something up, and you and your partner even got to be the deciding votes then. You two have helped determine the community s future in a quantifiable way with your votes! 😁

  • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
    4·
    4 days ago

    Big win for Shortie today! Though I love Barking, Shortie has been my 2nd favorite owl this year. Good luck going forward. We still have Morepork coming up, so we still have a boobook type owl to root for.

    • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
      1·
      4 days ago

      It looks like it’s a decent time of day to start picking up votes from its fellow Aussies, so this one is still far from over!

      • anthropomorphized@lemmy.world
        3·
        4 days ago

        Ooo… Share a little bias with us, as a treat. Good luck! The comments have been extra fun so far this year. You’ve created a great place here

        • anon6789@lemmy.worldOP
          2·
          3 days ago

          I share a little of my personal opinions in once matches are over. There are always outcomes that surprise me.

          I try to not influence them while they are running. Like anyone, I have my favorites and ones that don’t really excite me, but the game is for you guys, not me. I have the rest of the year to highlight things I like or to show you things I think you might like, but Owl of the Year is a time for you all, the ones that comment and the lurkers, to show me what you like.

          If you guys are bored of something, or if the bulk of you are all of a sudden into more rare owls, this lets me know.