Snowy owl stoop - Louis-Marie Preau - Wildlife Photographer of the Year2007

2007 Animal Behaviour: Birds - Winner

Louis-Marie Preau Click to enlarge Snowy owl stoop

Louis-Marie Preau (France)

Snowy owl stoop

'It was mid afternoon, and about -15°C. I could see the owl on its nearby perch, looking around for any sign of movement that might be a small mammal to hunt. Hours later, as the sun set, sending flames of colour across the sky, the owl took off and flew right past me. The magic lasted an instant, but the emotion was intense.' In winter, when lemmings become scarce, snowy owls leave the inhospitable Arctic tundra of northern Canada and head south to feed on the open fields just north of Quebec. They are the most northern species of owl in the world. Although they perch in trees, they nest in shallow hollows on the ground.

Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II + Canon 300mm IS f2.8 lens; 1/800 sec at f3.5; tripod.

This photograph is available to buy as a print.