By turn the subject of myth and superstition and the object of adulation and persecution, the owl is instantly distinguished by its disconcerting stare and haunting cry. As the winged mascot of darkness, the typically solitary owl is a mysterious and fearsome predator. Emerging from its daytime roost, it announces the fall of night with an other-worldly cry. Then, floating on silent wings, it swoops down to snatch unsuspecting prey, which it carries home for itself or to feed its hungry brood. In Owls 2005, the world's leading nature photographers have captured these splendid birds in 12 remarkable and arresting images.
