Even if we may not know a specific type of owl, we invariably have no doubt that it is an owl of some sort. This piece is about the common traits of this family of birds even as the individual features separate one distinct species from another. To emphasize the notion of a recognizable kinship among completely separated species, I chose to show three owls that do not even share the same continent with each other. The burrowing owl was observed at its nest site in Florida, the pearl-spotted owl in Namibia in western Africa, and the tawny owl is one that I happened upon in a Scottish glen. Each bird shown is also a portrait, something that explores the nuances found in the individual; but even this does not diminish our ability to recognize 'owlness' when we see it. — MD