The Owl Handbook: Investigating the Lives, Habits, and Importance of These Enigmatic Birds

by John Shewey

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, Nature

248 pages, Paperback

Published January 14, 2025

About the author

John Shewey is an Oregon-based veteran steelhead fly angler, journalist, photographer, author, and noted fly tier whose elegant steelhead flies have earned national prominence. The editor-in-chief of the Northwest Fly Fishing magazine group, John has penned hundreds of articles and published countless photographs and to date has authored more than a dozen books. John appears frequently as a speaker at club meetings, conclaves, and sports shows around the country.

Reviews

[Literary Redhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gorgeous info-rich delight for birders and nature lovers alike! Out 1/14/25.

#timberpress #johnshewey #owls #birders #naturelovers

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Owls are such fascinating birds and in The Owl Handbook you will learn all about them. The book is divided into 5 chapters - the first is owl facts and fictions, LOTS of info about owls and how they have been perceived throughout history, the second chapter is more detailed information about the owls of the US and Canada, the third chapter is about owling or trying to spot or photograph owls in the wild, the fourth chapter is about how to help owls, and the last chapter is a less detailed listing of many other owl species from around the world. Throughout the book there are TONS of great photographs and information. Prior to reading this, I didn't realize that owls would eat other owls! There is also a lot of great information in the "give a hoot" chapter about how to help owls or create better environments for them in your yard/community. Overall, this is a really great book and one I might buy just for all the great photographs. If you're interested in owls this is definitely worth checking out.

[Bookish Trina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Owl Handbook was a pure delight! As a novice owl lover this book was everything I didn't know I needed about these majestic creatures. Gorgeous spreads, brilliant layout and impressive content. You need this book!

[Lorena · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this informative 248-page book, birding enthusiast John Shewey offers a well-rounded guide to owls with frequent photographs and illustrations that made me smile.

The first and largest section of the book features a variety of short stories and essays about owls, including fun facts about their anatomy, physiology, and habits, as well as insights into historical relations between owls and people and how owls have appeared in popular culture. This section was interesting (especially for trivia buffs), but the presentation felt random. I would have preferred reading the entries in some sort of logical order.

The second section features encyclopedic entries on each of the 19 owl species commonly found in the United States and Canada. Entries include size, identifying characteristics, photographs of adults and fledglings, voice/calls, habitat, range with map, population status, diet, nesting, clutch, and behaviors, as well as tips on how to distinguish from similar features. I particularly loved the illustration showing the relative sizes of all 19 species.

The third section is on the art of owling, with tips on how to spot owls without disturbing them and guidelines on respectful owling behavior. I appreciated the discussion of types of technology sometimes used to find owls and how to use that technology responsibly.

The fourth section discusses threats to owls and how you can help protect them.

There are nearly 250 species of owls. Section five features an annotated gallery of some of these owls from around the world, with stunning photographs, common and scientific names, range, and population status. Species not pictured are listed at the end of the chapter. I loved getting a better sense of the diversity of owls.

The back matter includes acknowledgments, photo and illustration credits, resources for further information, and an index.

This book should appeal to anyone with an interest in owls and would make a lovely gift for nature lovers.

Thanks to Timber Press for providing me with an electronic ARC through NetGalley. I volunteered to provide an honest review.

[Brenda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Over the centuries, owls have been misunderstood, revered, maligned, and influential. They appeared on Greek coins, superstitions and in mythology. To me they are wise, curious, clever, sometimes elusive and absolutely riveting to observe. Once I had the incredible honour to photograph a parliament of 12 long-eared owls sitting on opposing branches on a tree a mere few meters away from me, all with their heads in different positions as they tried to figure me out. This book focuses on the owls of Canada and America but there are others included from around the world. I live on two continents and as such am privileged to experience flora and fauna of both. Last year my favourite sighting was a little owl family slightly swaying on our clothesline before diving for prey. Each night an Eurasian Scops owl sat about five meters from our open bedroom window and beeped all night, every night. We never tired of it.

There are "true" or "typical" owns and then there are barn owls. Photographs in this book gorgeously capture many species in stunning detail from the tiniest the size of a sparrow to pygmy owls to the largest at 10 lb. The author explains the symbiotic relationship between owls and woodpeckers, what they eat, how they hear and see, habitat, prey, wingspan, voice, range (including maps), status, nesting, clutch and so on. I know comparatively little about owls and this book really opened my eyes and ratched up my interest even more! Conservation, pesticides, predators, and the ethics of owling are also described. Now one of my goals is to dissect pellets! It's all here in one incredible volume.

If you seek to learn more about these majestic creatures, this is the book to go to first. I am now better equipped to get the most from my experiences with them.

My sincere thank you to Timber Press and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of this beguiling book.

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Owl Handbook is a well written, layman accessible, beautifully illustrated monograph on owls by outdoorsman and naturalist John Shewey. Due out 14th Jan 2025 from Hachette on their Timber Press imprint, it's 248 pages and will be available in paperback and ebook formats.

This book is aimed at the non-professional layperson, and is written in understandable language. The information is well arranged into thematic chapters: fun facts & farcical fiction, Owls of the US & Canada, the art of owling, help the owls, and owls worldwide. The bulk of the book is aimed at North American birders, but there are illustrated entries for species from other areas of the globe.

It's full of interesting factual (and folkloric) info about owls, but the photography is the star of the show. There are a ton of macro photos with breathtaking detail, so clear and colorful. Owls really are magnificent birds.

Five stars. This would make a superlative choice for public or school library acquisition, home use, or gift giving.

Five stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

[Anke · Rating 5 out of 5]

John Shewey, a renowned ornithologist with over 20 years of experience, has written another delightful read: THE OWL HANDBOOK. This lovely introduction to owls starts with interesting facts and tidbits (including mythology) about owls, making you fall in love with these fantastic birds. Then it goes over North American (USA and Canada) owls, where to find them, their habits, owling, and how to behave around owls to get the most out of the experience. There is also a section about owls worldwide, including extinct, threatened, and thriving species. The book also sheds light on the conservation needs of owls, such as habitat preservation and reducing human interference, to ensure the survival of these magnificent creatures. There are many gorgeous and stunning photos of the owls throughout the book; I love them, but I had a hard time picking my top 10, let alone my top 3! I LOVED THIS BOOK, a solid and accessible read for anyone interested in learning more about owls.

I thank NetGalley and Timber Press for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review. And, of course, a big thank you to John Shewey for writing another delightful read! I will look into some of these other bird books.

[Malli (Chapter Malliumpkin) · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC was given by NetGalley & Timber Press.


I love a good book about owls especially as someone who's worked with owls and been around them for a very long time. I really loved this. I love relearning information about my favorite animals and the photography in this book was just stunning. I think a lot of owl lovers, bird watchers, those who are new to being acquainted with these magnificent creatures will learn a lot from this book and find even more things to fall in love with when it comes to owls. I definitely recommend picking this book up especially if you're someone who loves owls.


All thoughts, feelings, experiences, and opinions are honest and my own.


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[Norma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love, loved this book. I'm an owl nut to begin with and I already knew quite a bit that was in this book but there was a lot I didn't know.

[Glennie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Excellent photos!! Very informative.

[Jeremy Vetock · Rating 4 out of 5]

Started a bit rough, but then was an easy and useful read. Gorgeous photos.

[Trader (RedHotBlueReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking to learn more about owls, this is the book for you! Lovely pictures, great information, it's all good! Living in an area where we have quite a few of these birds, I enjoyed every page of this book. Great for owl lovers everywhere.

[Sophie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fabulous book. It was jam packed with a collection of stunning photographs, and some fantastic information. Despite my plethora of knowledge on owls, I still managed to learn so much about the different American species.
Rated 4.5 stars