The bracket is made!
I think this year’s lineup is an improvement over last year. Based on what I’ve seen, all the opening matches look very competitive. My goal was to fix some of the lop-sided wins we had, and I’m feeling good about how this schedule looks.
There’s going to be some tough choices for you guys. Much like last year, I’m glad I don’t need to decide, but I’m still going to have to accept some painful loses at some point. I try to keep impartial during the tournament, but I definitely have some personal favorites. Sooty vs GHO is one where I’m not looking forward to saying goodbye to either one.
You guys didn’t nominate my beloved Spotted Wood Owl. Buff Fronted got in, which I was happy for, but its first opponent is last year’s winner.
I’m excited to see the Battle of the Southern Hemisphere between Australia’s Barking Owl and NZ’s Morepork.
We’ve got Eurasia’s biggest owls going head-to-head.
Snowy, Burrowing, and Buffy are all up against some flashy newcomers where we could have a surprise victory like the unexpected triumphs the Flammulated Owl had last year,
I think I will start the games Wed, 4 DEC after I get back from some travel. Then we’ve got a little over 2 weeks of excitement to crown this year’s winner. I’ll put the final 4 owls in the banner again and the winner gets the icon.
Got a personal favorite you’re ready to cheer on to victory?
Let me know which matches you are most looking forward to or dreading the most!
I love the little Saw Whet! I would like to see it vs Snowy in the final. Although, Sooty vs Barn would be interesting…
GHO vs Sooty is going to have me stressed all day. They’re both do good!
Saw Whet would be a good winner. They’re so darn cute.
GHO has to make it out of the first round this year! I’m voting GHO.
I’m really rooting (hooting?) for my boys, burrowing and flammulated, this year.
I’m curious how much of last year’s excitement the outsiders like Flammy, Buffy, and Sooty will show up again. There’s a bunch of new competition, and I’m excited to see how much momentum they can get this time.
There seems to be much early love for Burrowing, which is a good sign for them.
Blakiston’s fish owl going all the way this year!
Oh my, I love that owl, but it’s one of the hardest to get pictures of because it does not live in a very accessible place. There will likely be some of the same pics from last year if it goes past the first round, but I will do my best!
Yo, I’m all in on the Morepork. I’m betting fifty internet points that bugger is going to ride to the finish on a hippo
With a little intervention of Lord Vetinari
Well, we have to keep things. . . organised
I love the little Morepork (and I also feel hippos are the true king of beasts!) and at first I thought you were a bit crazy, but it really isn’t in a bad spot to have some surprise success.
Little Owl beat it last year, but Little had to get past Milky EO first, and the Milky has been surprisingly popular this year. Morepork has a much more classic look that could win over the Milky’s unique characteristics depending on people’s moods that day.
I commend you on your unique choice!
Go team Burrowing Owl! They had a good showing last year. This year it’s time to go all the way!
Absolute muppets! Hoping to see them in the finals against flammy.
They’re always popular and only lost to the overall winner last year. They could very well meet again in the semi-finals. That one in the back is looking for some payback!
snowy takes it
Snowy has possibly the best positioning IMO, but even so, there are a lot of unique challengers on that side of the bracket. There’s some owls with some really cool gimmicks over there that could catch the Snowy off guard.
Last year showed me no owl, no matter how normally popular, can let its guard down. Some I thought would be untouchable went out in the first round.
That’s what makes this exciting though!
I’m on Team Saw Whet. They’re in it to win it.
Saw Whet is a solid choice. The owl of a thousand faces! They’re all cute, but no two are the same.
I’m curious to see how far the saw whet will get. They’re so cute with their giant heads and big eyes. Eagle owls are neat too. Maybe not as classically cute, but majestic.
I had to look up barking owls just now. They really do sound kind of like a dog barking. Interesting that they eat bats. I didn’t know there were birds that did that.
Owls have quite diverse diets. If it’s meat and they can fly off with it, they’ll generally eat it. Frogs, worms, butterflies, other birds up to turkeys, snakes, squirrels, rabbits, skunks, porcupines, fish, and some will pick at carrion as well, so there’s not much they won’t snack on.
The Powerful Owl didn’t make it in this time, but it can take down things bigger than itself, which is very rare, as most raptors try to limit themselves to closer to prey 20% of their body weight. With Australia’s bountiful list of fauna, they eat possums (different than the North American opossums), the giant flying fox bats, and young koalas. They’re very impressive hunters!
Pics aren’t too graphic, but I’ve hidden them to be polite.
PO w/ possum
PO w/ flying fox
PO w/ koala
Cheering on the Snowy and Barn owls. They’re both on the same side of the draw so I may have to pick one if they both reach the semis!
Snowy is always going to be a good bet. Especially on the Internet, it’s just too classic.
Barn Owl got taken out last year by another string newcomer, Buffy Fish Owl. I think it’s in a strong position this year.
With these 2 as your picks, I think you’re going to be happy with how many of these matches go, but you may be left with a hard decision near the end!
To access the bracket and follow the discussion, click on the link at the end of the post.
#superbowl #owloftheyear24As soon as I posted, I remembered that I forgot to include the hashtags! 😮💨
I appreciate all your work to really take advantage of all these federated platforms. You really seem to be trying to make the most of it all!
I’m going with the great horned owl since I hear one screeching every night in my backyard. Still haven’t seen it though.
The “sky tiger” is tough to beat. A little smaller than a Snowy, so not the biggest North American owl, but it’s one heck of a tough and beautiful bird. With the classic hoot, it’s the first owl that comes to mind for many people.
My neighborhood also belongs to a GHO, so I’m a bit partial to them myself. I always smile when I hear it secretly watching over us.
I’d really like to know what David Lynch’s problem with owls is. So much hate towards them in the first season of Twin Peaks. : ) I just moved to a wooded area this year where it’s possible to see an owl for my first time. It’s pretty deep in the woodsbased off the shriek volume but I’ll take some time to try to find where he hangs out.
Side note…I’m just assuming it’s a GHO based on the shrieks I’ve listened to online. It could also be something getting murdered.
