Portland Parks & Recreation's partner, Audubon Society of Portland, will release two Western screech owls into the wild this evening. The owls, one adult and one juvenile, have been cared for by Audubon Society veterinarians after being brought for medical care.
Portland Parks & Recreation's partner,
Audubon Society of Portland, will release two Western screech owls into
the wild this evening. The owls, one adult and one juvenile, have been
cared for by Audubon Society veterinarians after being brought for
medical care.
A
southeast Portland homeowner brought in the adult owl on July 16. The
bird had been caught in a sticky type of mouse trap. Audubon
veterinarians say the owl appeared dull, in shock, and had sticky
residue from the trap on its feathers and feet. Vets were able to
stabilize the bird with fluid therapy, heat, and oxygen. As it began to
heal, Audubon staff bathed the owl several times over the course of a
few days to remove the residue. The adult owl remained in the wildlife
hospital for several weeks and then was transferred to a flight cage at
Audubon to continue rehabilitation. Another concerned citizen brought in
the second owl, a fledgling (juvenile), a few weeks after the first. It
had been captured by a crow but was able to escape, and the crow dumped
it on a street in southwest Portland. This bird suffered multiple
puncture wounds and was also treated for shock and infection. However,
under the Audubon staff's care and the adult owl's tutelage, the
resilient young owl learned to fly and hunt (and basically how to be an
owl) in the flight cage alongside the adult.
