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Owl!

A barred owl got tangled in the soft netting over our chicken yard last night. Poor dear was probably going after the cotton rats. Cut him out of the netting. Wing seems intact, but too stressed to fly, so in a dog crate until later. Per the wild bird rescue, he’s getting a raw drumstick and water and we’ll see if he feels better. If not, off to the wild bird rescue an hour away.

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His talons were quite scary looking and he was hanging upside down when we found him. I used a stick for him to grab with his scary feet and then righted him as I cut the netting out of his wing and feet. Tricky business. He clicked his beak at me several times. I suspect he was displeased.

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Glad you could help your owl in trouble.
Hope it will be ok.

As little kids, we had one get hung like that in chicken wire and died.
Our father knew where she had a nest and retrieved two absolutely beautiful, fluffy owlings we then raised and when old enough, he had built an owl house and set it high on a tree, we moved them there.
For years, one would come back to raise young there.

We have now one in the barn and it does hang, on purpose, on the chicken wire, then flies off.
You are right, their talons are impressive, can see them here:

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Beautiful owl. Thank you for helping him! Being that close to those talons and beak is always nerve racking. I hope with some R&R and a good meal he makes a full recovery.

Years ago we had a similar situation with a red tailed hawk getting caught in the electrified mesh surrounding the chickens’ pen. The shock must have stunned him because he was knocked out when he was discovered. We initially thought he was dead. Nope! He woke up and flew away as if nothing happened.

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this one was found standing in the middle of one of the horse’s water troughs … we check these water troughs daily if for no other reason to see if water is need to be added.

Being in the city we have very easy access to a specialized group who rescue owls, they will respond within hours to recover an owl.

We have had owls around us every sense we moved here.

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OP, let us know how your owl does, please?

This one was not amused when I bothered his hunting time, I think.
He just stood there, staring me down. I retreated, of course:

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The owl is spending the night. Still too stressed to be released. The bird rescue gave us instructions including a warm quiet room. He has a heater and is tucked away in a kennel with a raw drumstick. I hope he makes it. They mate for life. Taking him to the rescue first thing in the morning.

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Sorry it is not rallying, that is sad.

Barred owls are the only dark-eyed owl in North America. They have a great hoot. My stepdad is an obsessed and talented bird watcher and can do many bird calls, including owls.

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He was much better after a warm night inside with the blow by heater we use for orphan lambs. Much more active this morning. I drove him to the rescue and they got him to eat and put him in a flight cage to check his wing. He should be back home with his mate by the end of the week. His mate called for him this morning. We hear them every night. They mate for life.

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Thanks for the good update. :star_struck:

Awww. So cute. I hope he/she gets back soon.

So you will retrieve the owl later to release it back at your house?

The bird rescue releases him. They have the address and will keep us updated. They don’t have to release him right here. They can let him go in the state forest next door and he will find his way home. They have been doing this for 40 years, so I trust them. I had to notify the state because it’s an owl, and they were quite happy that the bird rescue was taking him (B.E.A.K.S.). You can get into a lot of trouble if you fail to notify the state of a wild animal in your possession. Some animals they don’t fuss over, like squirrels or possums, but you should contact a rescue anyway. We raised a baby possum with the rescue’s blessing because they were overwhelmed. I have a baby possum kit now. :slight_smile:

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Yay!!! Owls are a fascinating animal totem, btw.

What a wonderful story! Thanks for sharing. I adore owls and rescued a female Barred Owl a few years ago from the side of the interstate, going into work one day. She was standing but quite concussed. I took her to the Chattahoochee Wildlife Center which rehabs birds of prey. It was touch and go for a bit, but she did recover and was eventually released - they shared video. I was amazed at how light she was. It will remain one of my fondest memories.

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