For owls that are superb.
US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now
International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com
Australia Rescue Help: WIRES
Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org
If you find an injured owl:
Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.
Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.
Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.
If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.
For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.
From A Place Called Hope
This sweet baby Eastern Screech Owl was delivered to the Torrington PD after being dropped by a hawk. The baby's origin is unknown, but he is safe and has no real injuries!! So lucky and so cute.
Just a reminder to always make note of the location you pick up injured wildlife for the ultimate goal of return. It's not always possible, like in this scenario, but when it is, it helps us to do the best for recovered patients.
Interesting. Why would knowing where the hawk dropped the owlet be of any use?
Sorry, the wording they used is a bit confusing.
It doesn't help in this particular case is what they're trying to say, because since it was a hawk that grabbed this bird, they have no idea where the baby owl came from and can't return it to its parents.
If you were to find an owl like this, since it is too small to fly, if you are able to tell the rescue people "I found it under this tree here!" then they would probably be able to locate the original nest/parents and return the baby to them safely and so it has owl parents to raise it.
It's always best to return animals where they came from because they belong there and that is a place they were living successfully, and with babies, they learn to be proper wild animals if they're raised by their wild parents and can learn where to find food/water/shelter in that particular local ecosystem.
Oh, yeah, I see that now!
Predator birds usually have specific areas/territories where they search for prey. The general area where the nest is located can usually be estimated within a radius from where the owlet was found. This can indicate whether owls of that species are nesting in that area.
You've got the right idea! I elaborated a little more in my reply.
I keep meaning to get a copy of our intake form so you guys can see what info gets requested for dropping off an animal. That way if any of you find a critter in need, you know what all to be aware of. I've never looked too closely at it myself as I don't do intakes. 😁
In my line of work, it is helpful to know what birds (and bats or other endangered species) nest or burrow in the vicinity of where we have plans for development. That helps indicate whether we need surveys or more detailed reports on the impact on wildlife and vulnerable ecosystems to minimize, mitigate or compensate loss.
You're the one that gets all the people upset when there's some rare salamander or endangered frog that holds up the bridge rebuild? 😄
I'm just glad that work is still being done. It's one of the things I'm concerned about in the near term, at least here in the US. I know the spotted owl surveys have been defunded/canceled, and I'm sure many others have been as well. Thank you for looking out for the animals, and I did a post from the Minnesota Dept of Transportation today and their ongoing work to keep Burrowing Owls safe around their roadways.
You're the one that gets all the people upset when there's some rare salamander or endangered frog that holds up the bridge rebuild?
Yep. I am a pest for those kinds of people. Although I admit that even when we created areas for ”salamander hotels”, frog tunnels under walkways and moved ponds and small waterways… it tended to help establish snake populations that can prey on salamanders and frogs more extensively. OTOH those snakes are also a protected species. So…
Our biggest problem though tends to be NIMBY’s.
I love all those animal tunnels and fish ladders and all that stuff! We don't need to obliterate nature to have our modern necessities and conveniences, we just need to be thoughtful about it! We can and should do better.
The NIMBYs are the worst. They want all this stuff, they just don't want to have to think of the cost, or heaven forbid, have to live with the cost themselves.
Thank you for a healthy and uplifting discussion, as well as your informative posts. I keep subbing to superbowl groups for eye bleach and the stories that warm my heart.
It's my pleasure to share these things with you all. It's been feeling a little deader lately, but it's still fun for me, and I know those of you that do check in regularly really love it. They're wonderful animals.