Barred Owl hunting crayfish is something I look forward to each spring at Sequoyah National Wildlife Refuge in Oklahoma. In this sequence, I photographed an adult dropping from a branch, disappearing behind the spring growth, and rising back up with a crayfish in its talon.
This is the same area where I photographed nesting Barred Owls last May. You can also see my earlier post about Barred Owls nesting at Sequoyah Wildlife Refuge.
Barred Owl Hunting Crayfish at Sunrise
The Barred Owls at this refuge are busy this time of year. The young have already left the nest, and the adults are still working hard to feed both themselves and their owlets nearby.
After sunrise, there is often a short window when the owls can still be seen hunting. Crayfish are abundant there this time of year, and the adults seem to take full advantage of that. In this sequence, I watched one parent leave a branch and drop into the vegetation after prey.
I could not see the actual grab because the lower part of the scene was blocked. Even so, what happened was clear. The owl dropped fast, vanished behind the cover, and then lifted back into view with a crayfish in one talon.
Watching an Adult Owl Drop from the Perch
These photos show the start of that move. In the first frame, the owl pushes off and drops down. In the next two, it climbs back up and heads toward another tree with the crayfish.
The action lasted only a few seconds. Like many owl encounters, it was over fast. Timing mattered because once the bird slipped behind the brush, I lost my view.
The pair had young nearby but out of sight, so each hunting trip mattered.
Photographing the Return Flight Through Thick Cover
I made these photos handheld from inside my truck. That helped me stay less noticeable, but it also limited my angle. The thick spring growth turned the scene into a narrow shooting lane instead of an open view.
Even with that limitation, I was glad to capture the drop and the return flight. The second and third frames show the owl well, and you can see the crayfish in its talon. That small detail turns this from a simple flight series into a hunting story.
The early light also helped. It brought out feather detail and added warm color to the scene, even with the busy background.
Camera settings for Photo 1:
- Camera: Canon EOS R5 Mark II
- Lens: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
- Focal length: 500 mm
- Aperture: f/8
- Shutter speed: 1/2500
- ISO: 6400
- Exposure compensation: -2/3
- Support: Hand-held from inside my truck
- Date and Time: April 19, 2026, 7:15 A.M.
Watching these Barred Owls each spring is always worth the wait. Even with part of the scene blocked, this short sequence still shows how hard the adults are working this time of year.