How to celebrate Superb Owl Sunday in Michigan (no, it’s not a typo!)

By Ellery Weil, Good Info News Wire
February 5, 2024

The middle of February can bring many different things — we’ve heard the predictions of Punxsutawney Phil and are preparing for spring, even as we wonder who our Valentine will be. Many Michiganders have been following major-league football playoffs (and had their hearts broken by the Lions), and are counting the days until that second Sunday in February when all of America will be united…well, except for those who aren’t as interested in football as they are in a magnificent bird of prey.

Wait a minute, a magnificent bird of prey?

Yes, because the second Sunday in February means it’s time for the Superb Owl!

For those who haven’t “heard about the bird,” the Superb Owl is a new Superbowl Sunday trend. It started with a common internet typo in the late aughts and early 2010s, and continued with jokes, memes, and more, eventually spreading across the country–and even around the world, as breweries from the Netherlands to New Zealand have produced “Superb Owl” beers.

Some Superb Owl events can be enjoyed wherever you are — like checking out r/SuperbOwl’s online festivities with the best owl pictures the internet can offer. However, there are also local Superb Owl events all over the country, including ways to get in on the fun right here in Michigan!

Here are a few ways to enjoy Superb Owl Sunday in the Wolverine State:

Learn About Superb Owls With the Whole Family

Ready to introduce the whole family to the Superb Owls of Michigan? Ann Arborites and those in the greater Detroit area can mark their calendars for February 11, 2024, when the Leslie Science and Nature Center is bringing back their popular SuperB Owl Sunday event!

This annual festival offers families not only a chance to meet some Michigan owls up close, but learn about owl biology, partake in hands-on science activities, and enjoy carnival-style exhibits with owl-themed crafts and activities.

Search for the Rare Owls of Michigan

Ready for a quest? This Superb Owl Sunday, your mission (should you choose to accept it) is as follows: seek out the rare owls of Michigan, and try to spot as many as you can.

While Michigan is home to twelve different species of owl, four of them are particularly rare — and sightings of them, typically in the winter months, are prized by birders.

From the famous white Snowy Owl along Michigan coastlines to the massive Great Grey Owl you might glimpse in the Upper Peninsula, Michigan’s rare owls are a sight to behold. And best of all, Superb Owl Sunday falls in February, which is the best time of year to look through the forests for Michigan’s rarest owl — the Boreal Owl.

Good luck, and happy owling!

Raise a Toast to Superb Feathered Friends

After a Superb Owl Sunday full of exciting activities, it’s time to kick back and enjoy a nice beverage that’s appropriate for the occasion. If that sounds like your kind of evening, you may want to swing by The Owl in Milan — a morning-to-night cafe and bar serving coffee, beer, and wine, with an adorable owl mascot perfect for Superb Owl Sunday.

If you want a Superb Owl treat you can find near you, check out the offerings from Traverse City’s Right Brain Brewery, where brews like Looping Owl, Hawk Owl Amber, and Northern Hawk Owl can get you in the properly superb spirit — and their beers are available across Michigan.

Cheers to Superb Owl Sunday!

This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.