Although owls are commonly thought to be nocturnal creatures, they may sometimes make an appearance in broad daylight.
On the afternoon of 24 Feb, amateur wildlife photographer Phyllis Cheung noticed a family of spotted wood owls hanging out in a tree at Pasir Ris Park.
Seizing the opportunity, she took some photos with her mirrorless camera and posted them online.
The rare sighting amazed netizens, who took to the comments to express their admiration for the creatures.
Ms Cheung shared her images of the owls on the Singapore Wildlife Sightings Facebook group on 26 Feb.
Perched atop tree branches, the family of three owls — two parents and their owlet — appeared to gaze directly into her camera when she captured them in one shot.
With their large dark eyes and distinctive feather patterns, they truly are one-of-a-kind.
The owls also have bodies that resemble jackets over a ruffled shirt, adding to their unique traits.
Source: Phyllis Cheung on Facebook
Source: Phyllis Cheung on Facebook
In her caption, Ms Cheung mentioned that she observed the family of owls staying in the tree the entire afternoon.
Speaking to MS News, she said that on another occasion, hornbills tried to disturb the owlet at one point — but its parents were not having it.
The father owl, who was perched at a distance, immediately swooped in and chased the pesky hornbills away.
Ms Cheung was also lucky enough to see the father and mother owls “kissing” and cleaning each other’s feathers.
The birds began venturing out to hunt at around 7pm, just when the sky darkened.
Ms Cheung highlighted that as a photographer, it was an “amazing experience” witnessing and capturing the owls’ movements and interactions.
Notably, she believes that humans and birds can co-exist harmoniously in Singapore.
When the owls gazed at her, she felt as though they did not see her as a threat.
Moreover, the photographer shared that she has been following the family of owls since the owlet fledged.
During the daytime, the mother would remain close to the owlet while the father would look out for signs of danger — precisely why she was able to capture them with their eyes open during the day.
The post’s comments were filled with netizens expressing their awe at the rare sighting.
One user quipped that the owl that dramatically spread its wings was beckoning Ms Cheung to “take (her) best shot”.
Source: Facebook
This was indeed a rare sight as the spotted wood owl is classified as a critically endangered species in Singapore, with an estimated population of about 22.
Habitat loss and disturbance were listed as threats to the species.
Thus, park visitors should only observe the owls from a distance and not intrude on their day-to-day activities.
To view more of Ms Cheung’s wildlife photography, you can head over to her Instagram account @phytography.studio.
Also read: Spotted Wood Owls Cuddle In Pasir Ris Park Tree, Photographers Capture Loving Moment
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Featured image adapted from Phyllis Cheung on Facebook.
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