Paul Bannick Photography

Paul Bannick is an award-winning wildlife author and photographer specializing in the natural history of North America with a focus on birds and habitat. Coupling his love of the outdoors with his skill as a photographer, he creates images that foster the intimacy between viewer and subject, inspiring education and conservation. Paul is both the author and photographer of four books, Owl: A Year i

n the Lives of North American Owls (Braided River) and The Owl and The Woodpecker, Encounters with North America’s Most Iconic Birds (Mountaineers). His first book, The Owl and the Woodpecker, published in October of 2008, continues to be one of the best-selling bird books in North America. The University of Washington’s Burke Museum created a traveling exhibit based on The Owl and the Woodpecker, which began touring North American cities in March of 2011. Paul's latest books, "Snowy Owl: A Visual Natural History" and Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History" were published in September of 2020

Bannick’s work has won awards from several prestigious photography contests, including those hosted by Audubon Magazine and the International Conservation Photography Awards. Paul’s photography can be found prominently in bird guides from Audubon, Peterson, The Smithsonian, Stokes, The National Wildlife Federation, and in several volumes of the Handbook of the Birds of the world. His work has been featured in a variety of publications from The New York Times, Audubon, Sunset, Nature’s Best Photography Magazine, Birds and Blooms, Ranger Rick, Pacific Northwest (two cover stories), Seattle Times, Alaska Air Magazine, and in many other books, magazines, parks, refuges, and other outlets in North America and Europe. He has appeared on NBC Nightly News, Evening Magazine, King 5 and on dozens of NPR stations and programs, including Travels with Rick Steves and BirdNote.

Are Owls Nocturnal?Most are considered nocturnal, diurnal or crepuscular.  While these general labels often apply, Owls ...
06/25/2026

Are Owls Nocturnal?
Most are considered nocturnal, diurnal or crepuscular. While these general labels often apply, Owls such as these Barred Owls, will break these “rules” to find enough food for themselves or more commonly for their young in the nest. You can learn more about the hunting strategies of owls in the award-winning book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls.

Woodpecker Wednesday: Explosive DeparturesWoodpeckers, like this Cuban Green, explode from nest cavities after feeding y...
06/17/2026

Woodpecker Wednesday: Explosive Departures
Woodpeckers, like this Cuban Green, explode from nest cavities after feeding young. You can learn more about the 43 species found between the Caribbean and the Arctic in the award winning new book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”.

Surprising AgilityGreat Gray Owls are known for silently gliding over meadows but are capable of surprising changes of c...
06/15/2026

Surprising Agility
Great Gray Owls are known for silently gliding over meadows but are capable of surprising changes of course mid-flight to pursue prey or avoid predators. You can learn more about the life history of Great Gray Owls in the award-winning book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls” or in the book, “Great Gray Owl: A Visual Natural History”.

Woodpecker Wednesday: CourtshipA female Hispaniolan Woodpecker arrives in response to a male’s calls.  Woodpecker courts...
06/10/2026

Woodpecker Wednesday: Courtship
A female Hispaniolan Woodpecker arrives in response to a male’s calls. Woodpecker courtship involves calls and drumming as well as various displays that include bobbing, waving and showing off of color badges. You can learn more in the award winning new book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers”.

06/06/2026

Paul Bannick's “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers” has won a Foreword INDIES Book of the Year Award—a silver medal in the NATURE category.

Honoring the very best of indie publishing each year, the Foreword INDIES Books of the Year Awards is a prestigious literary program that celebrates outstanding books from independent presses and authors. Thousands of books are entered annually, and over 100 librarians and booksellers participate in the judging process. Gold, Silver, and Bronze winners are selected in 55 categories, representing the best in independent publishing.

With appreciation for the extraordinary artistry of photographer/author Paul Bannick, and to the mighty publishing collaboration between Braided River and Mountaineers Books that makes this work possible!

I am thrilled to share that my latest book, "WOODPECKER" was named  Silver prize winner in the 2025 INDIE Awards in the ...
06/05/2026

I am thrilled to share that my latest book, "WOODPECKER" was named Silver prize winner in the 2025 INDIE Awards in the Nature category.

There were many wonderful books in this category and I am honored to win 2nd place. You can learn more about Foreword Reviews Indies at https://www.forewordreviews.com/awards/winners/2025/nature/

Early OwlsTwo young Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) prepare to leave their nest well before any other owl species i...
06/04/2026

Early Owls
Two young Great Horned Owls (Bubo virginianus) prepare to leave their nest well before any other owl species in the whatever region they live. These flightless nestlings often flutter, fall or jump to the ground where they look for trees to climb. If you find any please leave them alone and avoid the temptation to try to “help them”.
You can learn more about the life histories of North American Owls in the book, “Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls”.

Woodpecker Wednesday: American Three-toed WoodpeckerThese denizens of boreal and mountain spruce forests are one of the ...
06/03/2026

Woodpecker Wednesday: American Three-toed Woodpecker
These denizens of boreal and mountain spruce forests are one of the most difficult woodpeckers to find in North America. They are most easily found where fire, floods or insect infestations have recently (within 1-2 years) killed trees.

You can learn more about the species found from Alaska to Cuba in my latest book, “Woodpecker: A Year in the Life of North American Woodpeckers” (Braided River)

Woodpecker and Owl keynotes at upcoming festivals, beginning with Jackson Hole tomorrow.
05/27/2026

Woodpecker and Owl keynotes at upcoming festivals, beginning with Jackson Hole tomorrow.

Woodpecker and Owl keynotes at upcoming festivals
05/27/2026

Woodpecker and Owl keynotes at upcoming festivals

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2559 Puesta Del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA
93105

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