On May 28th, we welcomed a rare and beautiful long-eared owl into our care. Almost exactly one month later, it was ready to be released back to its original location, a moment we eagerly anticipated. This majestic bird had been found injured and stunned in a back alley, appearing very quiet and seemingly unable to see from either eye when it first arrived at our facility.
If only our patients could share their stories, we might better understand the ordeal this owl had endured. When it came to us, it was underweight, its left eye sealed shut with blood and infection. Blood also covered its beak, and there was a noticeable hole on one side of the beak. Swelling at its right shoulder caused its right wing to hang low, and it couldn’t stand upright on its own.
Upon closer inspection, we carefully uncovered the eye that was sealed shut. Using warm water, we softened the hardened blood and discharge, then gently flushed the debris from the eye with sterile fluid. A thorough examination revealed an ulcer on the left eye and confirmed the hole in the beak. Despite its condition, the owl remained quiet and unresponsive to visual stimuli, though it occasionally struck with its feet, possibly reacting to sounds around it.
We immediately stabilized the owl with subcutaneous fluids, antibiotic eye drops, and pain relief to ensure its comfort. It was then placed in a cozy nest within a medium-sized dog kennel to rest for the evening. The first week showed slow progress, with little improvement in its ability to stand and seemingly random strikes with its talons. However, its eye healed quickly, and it showed significant improvement in body condition through consistent eating.
Long-eared owls inhabit deciduous and coniferous forests, favouring clear-cut areas as hunting grounds. These open areas are essential for their hunting strategy. This involves flying low and close to the ground while listening intently for the rustling movements of rodents and small mammals beneath leaves, twigs, and other forest floor materials during the night. The owl's unique coloration and feather patterns, featuring shades of brown, black, and white, provide effective camouflage against predators such as larger raptors, including other owl species and hawks.
Their wings are adapted for silent flight, characterized by quick yet stiff movements. As nocturnal creatures, long-eared owls rely heavily on their acute sense of hearing. Their ear anatomy is specialized to enhance auditory perception, with asymmetrically positioned ears-one higher or lower, and one more forward or further back than the other. This unique arrangement allows for precise sound triangulation, enabling the owls to detect and locate prey with remarkable accuracy.
By the second week, the owl began to show signs of recovery. It started jumping up and grabbing the kennel mesh whenever we entered for treatments. Recognizing its growing strength, we moved it to a larger kennel where it perched easily on branches. By the third week, it was given access to the entire isolation room with perches, where it appeared content and active. As it grew stronger and moved around more, our veterinarian rechecked its eye, beak, and wing, eventually clearing it for transfer to
one of our flight pens.
The owl's progress was remarkable. Within a few days in the flight pen, it flew and maneuvered silently and perfectly, maintaining its weight through self-feeding. Confident in its readiness, we set up a prey test, which it passed successfully. This was the final step before release. With the help of a trained transport volunteer, the owl was returned to the wild, flying off gracefully into the twilight, a testament to the resilience of wildlife and the dedication of our rehabilitation efforts.
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