Long-eared Owl (Asio otus)

What we have here is one of North America's great predators of the night. Those long "ears" are not actually ears, of course, but ornamental tufts. Nevertheless, the long-eared owl has auditory acumen that puts your dull-eared correspondent to shame. This merciless assassin employs his sonic superability to locate and devour small rodents in the darkest pitch of a moonless forest night.

I have to admit I consider it quite a coup to get a daytime picture of this Long-eared Owl perched high up in a tree on Cherry Hill in New York's Central Park. Owls are highly elusive creatures who are generally heard not seen (the best most birders hope for are the euphemistically-named "pellets" well-fed owls leave behind). This individual was getting in his 40 winks around 6pm, probably charging up before a big night of rat hunting.