Owls and flash photography

[skyviewer]

I have been doing some reading and research into whether it harms the owl to use your flash.  With all of the opinions circling around the forum i tried to find some clear cut answers scientifically but really they all were just opinions.  This was the best link i found.

http://photo.net/learn/nature/owlflash

It seems that what is a definite no no is taking pictures of owls at night especially if they are flying.  When using a flash you can temporarily blind them hence causing them to hurt or kill themselves by flying into something.  It only makes sense.  If we are sleeping in a dark room and someone turns the lights on you are temporarily blinded and your eyes take a while to adjust.  In the link it quotes a Professor on vision who states that birds retinas can handle very bright light like the sun which is far brighter than any camera flash.  So its not likely that during the day a flash would harm an owls eyes.  The problem is more that you could startle the bird into taking flight while being temporarily blinded if the flash was taken straight on, thus causing the owl to hurt itself.

I really posted this because i was feeling bad one gloomy day after taking a couple of pictures of an owl i decided to use my flash because i could not get a good enough shutter speed.  I took two pictures and to be quite honest the owl didn't even blink and seemed unfazed or startled (i will probably pay for saying this).  Although the owl was unfazed i wasn't because i felt bad afterwards that i did it just to get the better pic which it was.

As for getting too close or causing an owl to feel uncomfortable who really know that.  Only the owl.  Obviously trying to walk up to it and pet it is too close and like others have mentioned with a 400 or 500mm lens how close do you really need to get unless you want to look inside its head.  I have been off on a hike and seen a owl or hawk fly off before i even saw it and it was 100 yards away.  I have been walking through the woods with my head down looked up and there was a barred owl sitting on a branch 10ft in front of me 6feet off the ground and he did not seem to care as i slowly backed up a bit took out my camera and took some pictures.

I have a huge love for nature and i love to be outside so i think the big thing is to show the animals respect and look out for their best interests.
I probably will not use flash again but i still am in doubt as to whether it harms them during the day

Cheers

[JW Mills]

I posted this in another thread:
 
I was at a short information seminar regarding Owls last fall and I vaguely remember the following:
Photoreceptors in the eye consist of Rods and Cones. Rods are more sensitive to light than Cones and function better in dim light. Owls have more Rods than Cones which accounts for their night vision.
A flash will have a harsher effect on an Owl's eye than a human eye because our eyes have more Cones than Rods.

[skyviewer]

Just because their eyes are more sensitive to light does not mean that they can be damaged by a flash.  The sensitivity part is the same as a cats eyes they are just better designed for seeing at night and are more sensitive in low light conditions.  This does not mean that during the day their eyes are now sensitive to the light.  They still have an iris which closes down during the day to let less light in.  After reading more i found more information that birds including owls can look directly at the sun for long periods of time without damaging their eyes so i doubt a flash during the day will hurt an owl or any birds eyes.

[Reuven_M]

I agree, the flash is not the problem at all, just trying not to disturb the birds at all is.

[Craig McL]

rember all this info  the next time some one comes in to your bed room and
tacks photos of you sleeping !!

come on get real  

Craig