[addtoany]

In his new book, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls (Mountaineers Books, $34.95), Seattle-based photographer Paul Bannick chronicles the stages in an owl’s life over the course of one year in four different habitats. With his stunning photography and detailed study, Bannick leads his readers through the characteristics, habitats, migration patterns and routines of the 19 owl species in the United States and Canada, from the smallest (the elf owl) to the longest (the great gray owl). Many of the species featured in Bannick’s magnificent photos are listed as endangered; his book, a tribute to owls as well as a call to action, asks us to help these mysterious birds. He writes, “As we recognize each owl species’ particular habitats, we no longer see them as mystical creatures from another world bearing otherworldly messages. Rather, they are neighbors, reliant on our ability to preserve their habitats.”