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Does the owl need help?
Not all owls on the ground need help.
If it is a young owlet with a fuzzy head and body but has full grown wing
feathers and a stubby tail, it is a fledgling just learning to fly.
Spending some time on the ground is a normal part of their life, since it takes
them days to weeks to learn how to fly well, depending on the species. Mom
and Dad are usually nearby taking care of them, whether you see them or not.
Owlets at this stage only need help if they are injured or both parents have
been killed. If the owlet is in a dangerous location, it can be picked
up and moved to a safer location by nudging the back of its legs with a stick to
get it to step up or by using leather gloves. Parents will not reject
their young just because they were touched by humans.
Fledgling owls can actually climb trees
using their feet, beaks, and flapping their wings. They do this especially
well when placed near a sloping tree trunk.
Fledgling Eastern Screech-Owl
Any other owl on the ground that you can
walk up to needs help.
How do I safely pick up an owl that needs
help?
First find a cardboard box that will be big
enough to hold the owl without bending any feathers and tall enough for the owl
to stand. Punch air holes in the box and put an old towel or shirt in the
bottom of the box. (A pet carrier covered with a towel or blanket will
also work.) Don't use a wire cage--this can damage the owl's feathers
enough to prevent it from being released until it goes through another molt.
Slowly approach the owl and toss a towel,
blanket, or jacket over it. Watch out for the feel and beak, and press the
owl's wings to its body through the blanket. Carefully pick it up and
place it in the box. Close the box and either tape it securely shut or
interlock the flaps. Close the box securely no matter how little the
owl is moving when you find it. More than one person has had an owl "wake
up" and get lose in their vehicle while transporting it!
What should I do with the owl until I can
get it to a rehabilitator?
It is very important to minimize stress to
the owl, so keep the owl in as quiet a location as possible, away from kids and
pets. If transporting in a vehicle, keep the radio off and voices low, and
brake and accelerate slowly.
If you have to hold on to the owl for a
while before it can get to a wildlife rehabilitator, place the box half on and
half off a heating pad set on low. This way the owl can chose if it needs
extra warmth.
Where can I find a wildlife rehabilitator
in my area?
Go to
this website for a
listing of wildlife rehabilitators across the United States and around the
world. Even if you are unable to transport the owl to the closest
rehabilitator, call the rehabilitator anyway. Many rehabilitators
have a network of people who will pick up and transport birds for them.
Don't wait.
By the time you are able to pick up a sick
or injured owl, it is already in really bad shape. Don't wait to find a
rehabilitator...the owl needs help as soon as is possible.
I'm good with animals. Can't I just
take care of the owl myself?
Special training and permits are required to
care for sick and injured wildlife in the United States because such specialized
care is required. Other countries may have similar laws. Orphans
need to be raised by parents of their own species so they don't imprint on
humans. Often fluid therapy and antibiotics are needed. Broken bones
need to be set. Don't try to care for the owl on your own. Do what's
best for the owl and get it to someone who has the knowledge and the facilities
to properly care for it.
website hosted by The Owl Pages
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