On March 9, the Wildlife Center of Virginia admitted a hatchling Great Horned Owl after its nest was destroyed after a logging company was clearing trees. Loggers found the young owlet, and transported it to the Center, where the bird was admitted as patient #16-0097.
During the initial exam, Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 was bright, alert, and clacking its beak. Based on the bird’s size and downy feathers, veterinary staff estimate that Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 is a little more than one week old.
Dr. Dana examined the young owl and found that it was in overall good body condition; she did palpate a fracture at the left lower leg bone and noted bruising on the left wing and left knee. Dr. Dana also listened to the owlet’s breathing and heard crackle sounds in both lungs [a sign of fluid in the lungs]. Radiographs revealed a complete mildly displaced left mid-tarsometatarsus, but no other abnormalities were found.
Since Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 is rapidly growing and its bones are still soft at this life stage, surgical stabilization is less ideal and may limit bone and joint development. Dr. Dana decided to place a splint on the bird’s leg and retook radiographs to ensure proper alignment. While the radiographs showed good fracture alignment, a splint does not provide much stabilization laterally and there is the possibility of bones rotating.
Dr. Dana administered anti-inflammatories, pain killers, and antibiotics and placed Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 in the Center’s oxygen chamber for respiratory support. Rehabilitation staff then force-fed the owlet as well as offered a plate of chopped mice overnight.
The following morning, Dr. Dana could still hear crackle sounds in the bird’s lungs and noticed that the owlet’s left foot was swollen. Dr. Dana removed the splint and checked for signs of displacement. The bones still had good positioning, but since there was mild swelling, Dr. Dana re-aligned the Great Horned Owlet’s bones and placed a new splint on the bird’s leg.
After post splint placement radiographs were performed, Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 was returned to the Center’s oxygen chamber and tease-fed its morning meal. The young owlet ate very well and will be fed two times a day as well as offered a chopped plate.
Veterinary staff will continue to monitor the young owlet and will recheck radiographs in five days. If the bird’s lung sounds improve, the staff will move Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 into an airline crate in the Center’s holding room and then place surrogate Great Horned Owl Papa G’HO in a crate facing the young owl to help prevent improper imprinting on humans.
Great Horned Owlets, like all birds, do not automatically know what they are when they hatch; these young birds go through a learning period called imprinting. Once a bird imprints, it identifies with that species for its entire life. During the imprinting period, the young bird also learns species-appropriate behaviors, vocalizations, and proper fear of humans.
The Wildlife Center uses several raptor surrogates, in order to prevent improper imprinting and allow young birds to develop as they would in the wild. A surrogate provides a role model for young birds in captivity and counters their interactions with humans. To learn more about surrogacy, click here.
If the owlet able to eat on its own and the fracture heals, both Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 and Papa G’HO will be moved to a C-pen. Great Horned Owlet #16-0097 will remain with a surrogate throughout the spring and summer months, and should be released in late fall when it naturally would leave the protection of its parents.