Technically it's not perfect, and for that reason, I like it even more. Very raw, very real -- a refreshing change from glamour shots of owls and eagles.
Often a good rule is to leave room for the subject to move into in the frame. In this case however, I like the position and framing of the subject. However the lack of sharp focus on the bird and large areas of bright white are holding this image back.
Interesting effect. I might play with burning on the head a bit more to bring out those details, although as it is it kind of looks like he's flying into a supernatural ether and will vanish completely into it momentarily.