Accident prone Great Horned Owl

[HOGHEAD2]

Woke up last Saturday morning to find this female Great Horned Owl in the backyard unable to fly. She bluffed me and puffed up to try and ward me off, but I got a towel over her and was able to get her in a box. She had been sprayed by a skunk and had a head wound. She also had been banded on her right leg. Took her to a raptor/bird of prey "hospital" nearby where they nursed her back to health, and they researched the band and found she had been "hospitalized" last year also after becoming entangled in a soccer net in Cincinnati, about 70 miles away. She was released back here a couple of days ago. Thought you might enjoy the pic.

 

[Rick Courtright]

She bluffed me and puffed up to try and ward me off, but I got a towel over her and was able to get her in a box.

Hi,

Glad to hear she's ok again. Sounds like she does have a bit of an unlucky streak going for her, eh?

I once ran into a medium sized hawk (young redtail, maybe?) that had been injured. Couldn't even get close to him...

I had a customer at the time who worked w/ a vet who did raptor rescue type work. I asked him what I should have done to capture the bird. He said to get a stick and poke it in front of the bird, kinda like a perch. He told me the hawk would latch onto it and not let go, then it's easy to get a towel or blanket over the bird, and once it can't see, it will settle down.

Wonder if that trick works w/ owls? My only experience w/ them up close and personal was w/ a handful of barn owls a buddy had gotten from one of our classmates' Dads our freshman year of HS. They got just plain nasty once they were about half grown and we never even tried to catch them!

Rick C

 

[Cholo]

Cool story and pic! To add insult to injury, it even got sprayed by a skunk. My guess is she missed her meal and got a face full for her efforts. I hope that once healed she has better luck in the future. I have my doubts...:wink:

 

[doccash]

Dr.C

 

[Mike Armstrong]

One inept bird--hope she had some GOOD genes in there someplace! But she can't be totally incompetent or she would have starved before she got this big.

Horned owls are one of the few predators that regularly eat skunks, so getting skunked is just a trip to the supermarket to them. They prefer the "kits," more tender I suppose.

I remember seeing one with a hen pheasant in its claws; it flew over me when I was hunting on the Palouse Prairie in Western Idaho years ago. Early in the morning of a cloudy, dark day.

 

[TucsonDirt]

Wow, nice pic and great story. Didn't know owls ate skunks (blechhh!) either.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[sceva]

They prey on skunks.

Did you take her up to the Glen Helen outdoor education area outside Yellow Springs? They do great work there.

 

[HOGHEAD2]

Sceva, yes took her to the raptor center at Glen Helen- fascinating place and a lot to see there. We go there often, love to check out the eagles, hawks, owls and buzzards there.

 

[jgt]

I wonder if the owl's eyes were examined at the raptor center? If it has poor eyesight that might explain the apparent ineptness.

 

[ruggedruger]

Well, GH Owls will EAT skunks, so this was probably a cool time for the skunk. Odds were in his favor with a cripple.

Skunk: "Oh yeah?! You think you can scare me with your puffed up feathers? Can't fly, eh? Well you killed my mother! Take this!" (Spray).

 

[BogieDog]

Good for you HOGHEAD2, you make us all proud!

 

[Cocked and Locked]

Great Story and picture! That Owl Gal looks ready for Halloween!

 

[Gregg1LE]

Thank you for saving her,it says a lot about you.