Press

Highlights

"Do you hear that?"

Woodpecker book inspires New York Times article on gardening for them. February 24, 2026

Click for NYT link

Wholly absorbing

“Wholly absorbing—a sure-fire way to turn even a casual birder into a woodpecker fanatic.”

Kirkus Reviews, full review here

Deftly crafted read

“A truly fascinating, exceptionally informative, beautifully illustrated, and deftly crafted read from cover to cover.”

Midwest Book Review of Woodpecker, full review here

Like sight for the blind

Paul Bannick’s camera work is so revelatory that Woodpecker is like sight for the blind. Never has this keystone species been portrayed so intimately. His prose explains that the extraordinary hammering that seems like tree vandalism is actually the work of forest doctors, as vital as they are beautiful. A lovely, informative book

Bill Dietrich, Author of The Final Forest and Pulitzer Prize winning writer

Do you hear that?

The New York Times lauds Pauls new woodpecker book. Read Margaret Roach’s In the Garden review here.

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If you love birds, read it

“No other author/photographer has come close to creating a book like this. Bannick’s photos are breathtaking, his prose elegant, his knowledge of woodpeckers encyclopedic. If you love birds, read it. Then keep it handy because it has a second function as a field guide.”

Ted Williams, wildlife writer and former Editor of Audubon magazine

Pacific NW Magazine

Pacific NW Magazine, How woodpeckers provide the heartbeat of our forests…, August 23, 2025

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National Audubon, Feb 27, 2014

National Audubon, Feb 27, 2014. Paul Discusses Owl Irruptions with Bob Sacha (Video)

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Truly remarkable

Paul Bannick’s work captures more than just the beauty of the natural world―it captures its soul. I had the privilege of collaborating with Paul on his 2008 book The Owl and the Woodpecker, providing the accompanying sounds. Since then, he’s become one of the world’s foremost wildlife photographers, and his new book A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers is yet another masterpiece. His imagery doesn’t just show us birds―it connects us to them. Truly remarkable.

Martyn Stewart,Co-Founder of The Listening Planet

Travel with Rick Steves

Travel With Rick Steves, Travel for the Birds: Join Rick as he learns about Owls and Woodpeckers for Paul Bannick, August 22, 2009.

Listen here (Paul starts at 13:11)

NBC News

NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams.
Snowy Owls Swoop in from the Arctic
February 2, 2012

Those Hardworking Woodpeckers

A Way to Garden with Margaret Roach, November, 2025, “Those Hardworking Woodpeckers

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KING 5 Evening

King 5 TV  ‘Evening’, August 18, 2016, Paul Bannick talks about Seattle’s Snowy Owl

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KUOW, NPR, The Wild

KUOW NPR  The Wild, Owls: Nature’s Hunting Machine, May 5, 2020

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KING 5 New Day

King 5 TV  New Day, December 2, 2025, “New book captures the wonderful world of woodpeckers”

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OWL wins Gold Medal

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

Print and Web

Links open in new windows

The New York Times, In the Garden with Margaret Roach. Do You Hear That? February 24, 2026

Mountaineers Magazine, Woodpecker: Wonders of our Wildlands, November 2025

Pacific NW Magazine, How woodpeckers provide the heartbeat of our forests…, August 23, 2025

KNKK, Public Radio, Seattle photographer’s ‘Snowy Owl’ book transports readers to the Arctic tundra, December 24, 2020  

KUOW NPR, Snowy owls: messengers from the land of the midnight sun, December 01, 2020  

University of Washington Magazine, How to spot an owl in Seattle, September 7, 2017

The Register Guard, Owls and Woodpeckers, July 26, 2017

Prairie Public Newsroom, Owl Whisperer Paul Bannick, December 28, 2016  

Seattle PI, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls, November 22, 2016

Sierra, The Magazine of the Sierra Club, Owl, A New book by photographer Paul Bannick captures intimate moments in the lives of owls, November 19th, 2016

Seattle Magazine, The Secret Lives of Owls, November 4, 2016

Seattle Times,  ‘Owl’ a captivating peek at the wise-looking birds, October 26, 2016

Evening Magazine, August 18, 2016, Owl and Woodpecker Traveling Exhibit

Audubon Magazine, Let a Pro Teach You How to Take Great Owl Photos, Winter 2016

Audubon Magazine. 10 Tips for Photographing Birds, A professional photographer, and past Audubon Magazine Awards winner offers advice for capturing stunning bird shots. January 16, 2014

KUOW — Weekday, July 22, 2013 — starts at 24:35

McLung Museum of Natural History and Culture, The Owl and the Woodpecker: Photographs by Paul Bannick, June 2, 2012

Seattle Times, Rare influx of Arctic snowy owls wintering here, December 26, 2011

KUOW, NPR, The Joys and Challenges of Protecting and Photographing Nature, (Paul’s segment begins at 24:35 minutes in), July 22, 2011

UW NEWS, Owl, woodpecker photo exhibit tells of symbiosis, conservation at Burke Museum, March 30, 2011  

NPR, From Owls to Grunge: Book Gift Ideas, December 22, 2009

NPR, Owls So Cute, Who Cares If They’re Wise?, October 26, 2009

Pacific NW Magazine, Shots from the wild. Nature phtotographer Paul Bannick shares his secrets to success. March 2, 2009

Seattle Times, Owls and Woodpeckers, December 2, 2008

Sunset Magazine, Shots from the wild: Nature photographer Paul Bannick shares his secrets to success, October 30, 2006 PDF available here

Pacific NW Magazine, Where the Wild wings are: A bird lover helps us see a threatened future, July 30, 2006

Videos

King 5 New Day Northwest, Dec 2, 2025

Wondrous World of Woodpeckers

The Register Guard, July 26, 2017

Owls and Woodpeckers

A Beautiful World Podcast, Dec 5, 2016

A Year in the Lives of North American Owls

National Audubon, Feb 27, 2014

Paul Discusses Owl Irruptions

NBC Nightly News, Feb 1, 2012

Screenshot of. NBC News host Brian Williams introducing a segment on Paul
Photographer Waited Long Time for Snowy Owl to Come Back

Burke Museum, November 1, 2012

Arctic Emissary

Evening Magazine, August 18, 2016

Interview

Burke Museum, April 27, 2011

The Owl and the Woodpecker

Awards

Audubon Magazine Photography Award

 

With his winsome photo of a Northern Pygmy-Owl gazing from its snug cavity in an aspen tree, Paul finished first among professional photographers in the category of Birds and Their Habitat. Paul’s winning photo was selected from among thousands submitted from across the world.

A female Pygmy-Owl pops up to fill the nest cavity entrance, where she calls for her mate to deliver food. Northern Pygmy-Owls nest predominately in woodpecker-created cavities in mature mountain forests.

International Conservation Photography Award

 

Paul’s photo of a sunlit Snowy Owl in flight has won the Canon Award in the International Conservation Photography Awards. The Canon Award winner, selected by photographer Art Wolfe from among thousands of entries from around the world, is the photo that best exemplifies the mission of the ICP Awards – “an event for the advancement of photography as a unique medium capable of bringing awareness and preservation to our environment through art.”

A Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus, lifts her body nearly straight up off driftwood and into the air after spotting prey in the distance. Snowy Owls use strong wingbeats to hunt even in the most powerful winds. (Washington)

Independent Publishers Association Gold Medal

 

Cover for Owl book

Paul’s second book, Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls, received Gold Medal in the 2017 Independent Publisher Book Awards in the “Animals/Pets” category.

 

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