Owls, with their nocturnal and enigmatic habits, are often seen as otherworldly — even sublime. Paul Bannick’s photographs in Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls offer an enlightening look at 19 species in Canada and the U.S.

Bannick captures the elusive raptors in moments of both action and repose. In one photo, a tiny northern pygmy-owl pulls its prey, a large bat, into its nest. In another, a juvenile great gray owl awkwardly clings to a tree while attempting to learn how to fly, its large yellow eyes staring at the camera. There are striking shots of birds in full flight, particularly one of a snowy owl on a snow-white background.

Bannick’s writing intertwines stories about his personal encounters with owls with information about their natural history. He writes, “Since owls live in nearly every habitat in North America, their stories are the stories of our natural landscapes.”

Owl: A Year in the Lives of North American Owls

By Paul Bannick

217 pages, hardcover: $34.95.

Mountaineers Books, 2016