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In Owl, award-winning photographer Paul Bannick uses his intimate yet dramatic images to follow North American owls through the course of one year and in their distinct habitats. Readers follow along at the nest as each stage in an owl's life is chronicled: courtship, mating, and nesting in spring; fledging and feeding of young in summer; dispersal and gaining independence in fall; and, finally, winter's migrations and competitions for food. For owls, every day brings a new challenge to survive, and this book shows readers how owls use the unique resources available to them in their habitat to face those challenges. All 19 species found in Canada and the United States are featured in photos and narrative throughout the book, with a special focus on the Northern Pygmy-Owl, Great Gray Owl, Burrowing Owl and Snowy Owl.

SPECIAL FEATURES
- Details owls' behavior throughout their four distinct life stages
- 200 new images, many of which feature rarely photographed behavior and most have never been published before
- A field guide that helps identify owls and compare each species.
- Perfect holiday book for all bird-watchers, wildlife lovers and for those who appreciate stunning photography.

Paul's startling images reflect behaviors shared by all owls, as well as some surprising exceptions and adaptations. The four featured owl habitats--forest, grassland and steppe, boreal, and Arctic--each reveal wildly rich stories of their own. Owl is a stunning follow-up to Paul's bestselling title, The Owl and the Woodpecker, giving bird lovers yet another gorgeous photographic tribute, engaging natural history, and a compelling call to preserve the habitats that sustain these most iconic of birds.

To learn more about Braided River and its mission: inspiring people to protect wild places through images and stories that change perspectives, please visit www.braidedriver.org--Moira Macdonald "The Birding Wire"

PAUL BANNICK is a wildlife photographer specializing in the natural history of North America with a focus on birds and habitat. Coupling his love of the outdoors with his skill as a photographer, he creates images that foster the intimacy between viewer and subject, inspiring education and conservation.

Paul's first book, The Owl and the Woodpecker, published by The Mountaineers Books in October of 2008, continues to be one of the besta "selling bird books in North America, and was a finalist for the Washington State Book Award for general non-fiction. The University of Washington's Burke Museum is creating a traveling exhibit based on The Owl and the Woodpecker, which will begin touring North American cities in March of 2011. (see exhibit fact sheet)

Paul has appeared on dozens of NPR stations and programs including Travels with Rick Steves, and BirdNote. National Public Radio's blog on Paul's owl photography is among their most popular to date, and they recommend The Owl and the Woodpecker as one of the top five photography books of 2009. His work has appeared in Audubon, Sunset, Pacific Northwest, PhotoMedia, Seattle Times, the National Wildlife Federation Guide to North American Birds, Smithsonian's Guide to North American Birds, and in many other books, magazines, parks, refuges, and other outlets in North America and Europe.

Paul has served as keynote speaker for dozens of festivals and fundraisers across the country, and two of his photos are part of the traveling exhibit, "Arctic Wings," featuring images from several of the world's finest wildlife photographers.

After graduating from the University of Washington, Paul worked successfully for 15 years in the computer software industry beginning as one of the original 75 employees of the Aldus Corporation. He later served as a Director for Adobe Systems, and also worked as a senior manager at Microsoft. Wishing to combine his passion for wilderness conservation with his career, Paul turned his attention to non-profit work and currently serves as the Director of Development for Conservation Northwest, an organization dedicated to protecting and connecting wild areas from the Pacific Coast to the Canadian Rockies.