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Prairie Owl
Rob Palmer
*Prairie Owl* is a small photographic book by wildlife photographer Rob Palmer devoted to the burrowing owl — the long-legged, ground-dwelling little owl of the open grasslands of the American West. In a compact 24 pages, Palmer's images catch the birds at their burrows and, strikingly, in flight, paired with brief text describing each photograph and the owls' behavior. It's an affectionate close-up portrait rather than a field guide, aimed at conveying the character and beauty of a charismatic prairie species. It speaks to birders, photographers and anyone charmed by these wide-eyed little owls of the plains.
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The artist
Rob Palmer is a former biology teacher turned full-time wildlife photographer based near Boulder, Colorado, best known for his images of raptors and birds in flight. His work has appeared in magazines such as Audubon and BBC Wildlife, and his books include titles on the American kestrel and several devoted to owls.
The book
Published in 2007, Prairie Owl is a short, image-driven volume built around the burrowing owl, with photographs of the birds at and around their nesting burrows accompanied by descriptive captions. The flight shots — a Palmer specialty — are the draw.
How to read it
Approach it as a photographic essay to enjoy rather than a reference to consult; its pleasures are visual and its text light. Readers wanting deeper natural history can turn to Palmer's later, fuller owl books.
For more context
See Palmer's The World of Burrowing Owls and Owls in the Wild for more of the same subject.
Sources
- Type
- Book
- Author / Maker
- Rob Palmer
- Publisher
- Heritage House
- Year
- 2007
- ISBN
- None
- Shelf
- Nature
- Location
- Colorado
Places