OWL ABOUT THAT

These incredible pictures all have little owls hiding in them – how many can you find?

The tiny birds' mottled feathers blend into trees, bark, stone and woodwork, making them notoriously hard to spot. Answers revealed at the end

Felix Allen

Published: 12:30, 3 Oct 2017
Updated: 13:59, 3 Oct 2017

THE little owl lives up to its name in this mesmerising picture sequence – sending social media users into a flap as they try to find the "impossible-to-spot" birds in each snap.

The tiny creatures' mottled feathers blend into trees, bark, stone and woodwork, making them notoriously hard to spot wherever they choose to sit.

Somewhere in this scene is a little owl - can you find it?Credit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Wildlife photographer Villager Jim has been challenging social media users to find them in his pictures over the last four years, with each image attracting thousands to join the hunt.

Now the 52-year-old has revealed his best, challenging Sun Online readers to discover the owls tucked up in rocky walls, barn doors and tree trunks.

A mottled brown bird is hard to spot in this dry stone wallCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

The little owl's feathers blend in perfectly with stones and barkCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

The tiny owls, just nine inches high, are famously hard to spotCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Many of the birds are so hard to spot that some social media users claimed they wouldn't know a bird was there if it hadn't been pointed out.

Shona Webster wrote that she only found one of the owls after she enlarged the image and "would never have seen her otherwise".

Gayle Peltier added: "I'm ashamed to tell you how long it took me! LOL. Great camouflage."

Stumped Alice Brock said: "O can't see it at all. Can I cheat please and ask someone to message me with a small clue at least? Pretty please?"

Wildlife photographer Villager Jim has had social media users in a flap with his picture puzzlesCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Jim says the owls are often right under your nose but you still can't see them until they are pointed outCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

He has been driving people mad for four years with his spot-the-owl challengeCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Jim, who has been snapping the birds since 2011, said: "Little owls are hilarious creatures to photograph. They have so much character in their faces.

"But what seems to have attracted the most attention is the ones where they blend into their surroundings.

"It all started when I put one online in late 2013 and everyone loved it. I realised that people liked the challenge. They just couldn't get enough of them.

"I get thousands of people liking and commenting on each photo when I post one – people love them and see them as a game.

Jim has chosen a selection of his best to challenge Sun Online readersCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

How many owls are there in this picture of an old farmhouse? There may be more than you thinkCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Another tricky one of an owl hiding in a dry stone wallCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

Little owls are hard to spot because of their small size, camouflage colouring and dwindling populationCredit: Mercury Press/Villager Jim

"In some of the ones I've selected here, people have said they are almost impossible to spot. But the irony is it is these ones that they are often the most obvious.

"The birds can hide right under your nose. I plan to keep giving people the owl-hunt picture games to play – so long as I can spot them myself.

"I wouldn't be surprised if I've missed a few when out and about simply because I couldn't see them sat right there."

Little owls, introduced to Britain in the 19th century, are less than nine inches tall and feed mostly on insects and worms.

They are renowned for hard to spot thanks to their small stature, nocturnal habits and dwindling numbers, with the UK population plummeting 24 per cent between 1995 and 2008.