Episode 25: The Great Gray Owl Irruption and Mastering Depth of Field
Every few years various species of birds come spilling out of the far north into more southerly locations en masse. Most of these birds are specialists, species who are so finely-tuned to life in the boreal and arctic world but whose survival rests upon finite food resources. In the far north, where the perils of winter dictate all, when natural boom-and-bust cycles occur, the populations of species as diverse as great gray owls, boreal owls, northern hawk owls, snow owls, black-backed woodpeckers, three-toed woodpeckers, pine siskins, white-winged crossbills, evening grosbeaks, and boreal chickadees, ebb and flow with those cycles. And when a bust occurs, when that food becomes scarce, these birds will make a mass exodus from their circumboreal haunts by the tens of thousands in what is known as an irruption.
This year, the winter of 2024/2025, has proven to be one of the biggest irruptions for both great gray owls and boreal owls in over a decade. And in Episode 25 of the PhotoWILD Podcast, Jared Lloyd and Annalise Kaylor discuss the science behind the irruption and how wildlife photographers can use this knowledge to set themselves up to photograph one of the greatest bird photography opportunities across the Northern Hemisphere.
But just because the owls are easy to find, if you know where to look, doesn’t mean creating amazing photographs is easy. Secretive forest owls such as the great gray owl are some of the best camouflaged species on Earth. Making this species stand out from environment is one of the biggest challenges wildlife photographers face when working with these birds.
Key Takeaways
Irruptions of Great Gray Owls happen roughly every 4 years
Not all populations of Great Gray Owls irrupt, however
Understanding the boom-and-bust cycles of food sources in the boreal world can help wildlife photographers prepare for one of the greatest bird photography opportunities across the Northern Hemisphere
Not all populations of irrupting owls are created equal when it comes to wildlife photography
Understanding how animals relate to geography can mean the difference between striking out and finding and photographing 20 or more owls in a day
Just because the irruption makes finding owls easy doesn’t mean photographing them does not come without challenges
Overcoming the great gray owl’s master camouflage is paramount when working with these species