Great Horned Owlet #15-0281

Species Name (EN): 
Species Name (LA): 
Admission Date: 
April 11, 2015
Release Date: 
October 16, 2015
Location of Rescue: 
Albemarle County, Virginia
Cause of Admission / Condition: 
Healthy Orphan
Prognosis: 
Outcome: 
Patient Status: 
Patient Archive
Released

On April 11, a Great Horned Owlet was admitted to the Wildlife Center after it was found in the middle of the road in Albemarle County, Virginia.

The owlet’s rescuers called the Wildlife Center for advice and attempted to re-nest the young bird. They placed the Great Horned Owlet in a basket and secured it to a high branch of nearby tree located across the street from their home. After several hours of careful observation, there was still no sign of the parents. The Great Horned Owl was removed from the tree and transported to the Wildlife Center that evening.

During the initial exam, Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 was bright, alert, and continuously clacked its beak at Center staff. No abnormalities were found and the bird was declared to be in good health. The owlet was placed in the Center’s holding room overnight and was fed a meal of mice.

The following morning Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 was bright, alert, and very vocal. Blood was drawn to run a complete blood panel and results were unremarkable. The young owlet also began eating on its own and staff decided Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 was ready to be placed with the Center’s surrogate Great Horned Owl, Papa G’Ho.

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 utilizes 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.

On April 14, Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 was placed in an airline crate and moved into Papa’s enclosure in the Center’s C-pens to begin introductions. At first, the owlet remained in a crate so that it and Papa could see and hear one another. After two days of introductions, the door to the crate was opened on April 16.

The Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 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.

Your special donation will help the Center to provide care to this orphaned Great Horned Owlet... and to the 2,500 sick, injured, and orphaned wild animals the Center will treat this year. 
 

Updates

October 19, 2015

Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 was successfully released on Friday, October 16 at Coyner Springs Park in Wayneboro, Virginia. More than 80 people attended the release, including the owl’s rescuer and transporters. Wildlife Center President Ed Clark released the bird just before dusk; the bird flew over the crowd and toward a stand of trees before circling and landing in a large tree.


October 14, 2015

 Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 has been flying well during the past few weeks – the bird is a strong and silent flier. During the week of October 5, the owl successfully passed “mouse school”, in which the young owl had to catch live food throughout the week. After a pre-release examination and blood work, the owl was cleared for release.

The bird will be released on Friday, October 16 at 6:00 p.m. at Coyner Springs Park in Waynesboro, Virginia. The release is free and open to the public; those attending should RSVP to lkegley@wildlifecenter.org. Please note that you are attending the owl release in your RSVP as we do have an eagle release earlier that same day! Attendees should plan to meet at the park pavilion.


 

August 27, 2015

Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 has continued to do well under the care of surrogate Papa G’Ho. Last month, the rehabilitation team started the owlet on weekly “mouse school” [live-prey testing] sessions. While Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 has done well during these weekly live-prey testing sessions, the bird still needs to hone its skills.

Last month, the rehabilitation team started the owlet on weekly live-prey testing sessions. Just as young owlets would gradually start testing their hunting skills in the wild, we create the same opportunities for the owlets under Papa’s care. So far the young owlet is doing well, but still needs lots of practice to hone its skills. The rehabilitation team plans to continue the weekly live-prey testing sessions for Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 in the coming weeks. As the bird gets closer to being ready for release, [which will likely be in October since most Great Horned Owlets leave their parents in late fall] the staff will switch to daily live-prey testing.

On August 25, the rehabilitation team decided separate Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 from Papa G’Ho to start individual flight conditioning. The owl will be exercised every day in preparation for release and can now be viewed on Critter Cam 1.

July 12, 2015

Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 is looking more and more like an adult every day and continues to thrive under the care of surrogate Papa G’Ho. On June 29, the veterinary staff performed a feet and feather check and found everything to be within normal limits. During the last few weeks, rehabilitation staff has noticed that the young bird has become very protective of its foster parent and is very feisty. The owlet now steps in front of Papa G’Ho and displays defensive behaviors whenever staff enter the owls’ enclosure. Rehabilitation extern Spencer managed to take a video of the young owlet and captured some of its feisty behavior on camera. Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 will remain under Papa G’Ho’s care until it is ready to begin flight conditioning in the late summer.


June 10, 2015

Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 continues to do well under Papa G’Ho’s care. The owlet is consistently gaining weight and is quickly exchanging its soft, downy feathers for adult plumage. The owlet is also showing the appropriate behaviors toward humans, and the rehabilitation staff has noticed that Papa is very protective of the young owl whenever anyone approaches. The owlet will continue to be monitored by the Center’s staff and will stay with its surrogate throughout the summer. In honor of Father's Day, you can watch this young owl and its foster dad this Sunday on the Critter Cam 1!


April 21, 2015

Great Horned Owlet #15-0281 is doing well with its surrogate dad – Papa G’Ho and the owlet have been seen perching close to each other, and the owlet is getting its fair share of food. On Tuesday, April 21, the duo was moved to FP4. Check them out on Critter Cam 1!

 

 

 

 

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