Latest News & Announcements

Two New Owl Books Published!

Paul Bannick’s two new owl books, Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History and Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History provide rare intimate looks into the life histories of two of the world’s most charismatic birds.

In each book, physical features, preferred habitat, breeding cycle, hunting strategies, as well as prey and conservation issues are explored through several dozen never-before published images. Many of these photos feature behaviors that have rarely, if ever, been captured by cameras. Paul strove to capture photos depicted elsewhere only by hand-drawn illustrations or complex descriptions, since photographic images were not available. These photos compliment first-hand accounts from Paul’s nearly 20 years of field observation and the latest science.

Mountaineers Books, Bannick’s publisher for his previous books, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls and The Owl and the Woodpecker: Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds has published two more beautiful coffee table quality, hard cover book. Each is 128 pages, and features their habitat, as well as a few of the animals that share their homes.

These two new books compliment Paul’s previous books, delving more deeply into two of the species previously covered more generally in the others, while featuring all new images. Paul’s photography and books aim to inspire conservation, by exposing threats to these species, as well as what we can do to protect them.

  • Ideal books for owners of Bannick’s previous titles
  • Excellent holiday gift for all birders or bird-watchers
  • Valuable for conservationists, educators, photography lovers and nature enthusiasts
  • Useful for better understanding the habitats and behavior of these two species as well as how we can protect them

Praise for Paul’s new books:

“Seattle photographer’s ‘Snowy Owl’ book transports readers to the Arctic tundra”
KNKX NPR station, Seattle, Washington United States

“Paul Bannick talks about Seattle’s Snowy Owl”
“Evening” on King 5 TV, Seattle, Washington United States

“Snowy owls: messengers from the land of the midnight sun”
KUOW NPR station, Seattle, Washington United States

“Award-winning photographer Paul Bannick of Seattle has compiled two showy coffee-table tombs for owl-lovers and those who want to look at cool, photos of owls uninterrupted in nature. Many of the stunning photos feature behaviors that have rarely, if ever, been captured by cameras, accompanied by first-hand accounts from Bannick’s nearly 20 years of field observation and the latest science.”
Outdoors NW

“These two books are must haves for fans of Paul Bannick’s photography!”
Birdbooker Report

“Local nature photographer and owl pal Paul Bannick has released two-hoo-hoo beautiful new books. With Snowy Owl and Great Gray Owl, Bannick trains his lens on these magnificent beasts, educating readers in the habitats and habits of, as he calls them, “two of the world’s most charismatic birds.””
Crosscut

“If your average picture is worth a thousand words, a Paul Bannick wildlife photograph is worth 20,000. Having worked with wildlife photographers for articles in Audubon, Smithsonian, Sierra, National Wildlife and other magazines for 45 years, I have yet to encounter one who better captures the magic and beauty of the natural world. I was absolutely blown away by his two recent books — Snowy Owl and Great Gray Owl. No tame, game-farm birds in these spectacular collections or in any of Bannick’s work. He immerses himself in the wild and brings his viewers and readers along with him. Little wonder that he is a multiple award winner.”
— Ted Williams, award winning wildlife journalist

“Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History and its companion book, Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History are exceptional books for all birders’ libraries, and anyone even mildly interested in birds will find the visual effects remarkable.The Birding Wire”
The Birding Wire

“Bannick is immersed in study of his subject. He has produced unprecedented display pictures of Snowy Owl mating rituals. “
Joel Connelly, Post Alley

“‘Great Gray Owl’ and ‘Snowy Owl’ are two visually spectacular and informatively captioned photographic compendiums that are a pure delight to browse through and a ‘must’ for the growing legions of birdwatching enthusiasts.”
Midwest Book Review

“Although the two books are most impressive for their outstanding photographs, they incorporate natural history information, first-person accounts of the author’s owling experiences and sections on the birds’ conservation statuses and what we can do to help.”
Nancy Lord, Anchorage Daily News

““Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History” and “Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History,” both by Paul Bannick (Mountaineers Books). From a Seattle photographer and publisher, these two books are “extraordinary, for any bird lovers on anyone’s list,””
Georgiana Blomberg of Magnolia’s Bookstore


 

Owl Wins Gold Medal!


Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls
has won the Gold Medal for the category “Animals/Pets” in the 21st annual, 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards by the Independent Publishers Association.

The “IPPY,” as it is known in the book publishing industry for 20+ years, is the world’s largest international and regional book awards competition, with almost exactly 5,000 entrants. This award honors the year’s best independently published titles from around the world in over 80 subject categories.

Visit Independent Publisher for the full award list.

 

New Book Published!

 

owls a year in the lives cover

 


Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls

 

Paul Bannick’s New Book, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls integrates more than 200 new intimate and dramatic images, up-to-date science about owls and first-hand experience based upon tens of thousands of hours spent with owls on their territories in the wild.

You will witness rare images as the owls move through each stage of their life: courtship, mating, and nesting in spring; feeding of young and fledging in summer; dispersal and gaining independence in fall; and finally, winter’s migrations and competitions for food. The book shows how owls use the unique resources available to them in each habitat to overcome the challenges of each season.

All 19 species found in Canada and the United States are featured in the photos and narrative throughout the book, with a special focus on the Northern Pygmy-Owl, Great Gray Owl, Burrowing Owl and Snowy Owl.

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.

See Paul’s new program and hundreds of new owl images and dozens of new owl videos at a city near you.

“A landmark work of natural truth, with a wealth of biological information and a starkly honest depiction of raw nature, with owls shown as both adorable and as fierce predators that perform a vital ecological role.”
— William Dietrich, Pulitzer prize winning journalist

Owl was selected as one of 15 finalists in 2017 Pacific Northwest Book Awards Shortlist
— 2017 PNBA Shortlist Announced

Searching for Owls in the field with King 5
— King 5 News (television interview)

A conversation with Paul: Amazing Owls
— A Beautiful World (public radio interview)

Verdict:
 “Most highly recommended for all levels: public, professional, and young adult; will appeal to those interested in nature, North American habitats, and conservation. A gem!” 
— Henry T. Armistead, Library Journal Reviews

“… it’s easy to become captivated by the owls in Bannick’s book; their unruffled gazes peering out from the page. It’s at once natural history, wildlife primer and love letter.”
— Moira Macdonald, Seattle Times

“Not only a feast to the eye but lessons in habits and habitats of a fierce, haunting predator”
— Joel Connelly, Seattle PI

“We protect what we love and we love what we know”
— King 5 New Day (television interview)

“10 Spectacular Owl Photos You Have to See”
— Jenna O’Donnell, Audubon

In the field with Paul: Birders flock to Madera Canyon to hear Owl Expert
— Kitty Bottemiller, Green Valley News

“Full breadth of owl behavior, activity, and interrelationships with elements of habitat”
— Joe Spring, Sierra Club

“Photos of Other Worldly Owls”
— Anna V. Smith, High Country News

 

Paul Searches for Owls in Discovery Park

Bannick, an University of Washington alumni, went on a search for owls in Seattle’s Discovery Park with Quinn Russell Brown of Columns, The University of Washington Alumni Magazine.

Listen to the audio recording and read article here

Bannick’s Photography Tips Appear in Audubon Magazine

In this article for Audubon, Paul shares his advice on getting the perfect bird photograph.

Keynotes, Speaking Engagements, and Public Appearances

Paul Bannick is touring North America as a keynote speaker and presenter, with multi-media presentations that focus on natural history through birds and habitat. Most of his upcoming events are focusing on the themes for his new book, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls.

An audience favorite, Paul consistently fills every venue, from birding festivals, wildlife symposiums, and organization fundraisers, to Audubon and Nature Canada meetings and workshops, college lecture series, and museum gatherings. Schedule Paul for your event, or come listen to his latest stories, and view his spectacular images at a location near you!

See tour dates and locations.