The Tale of Two Barred Owls

On June 9, 2011, a young Barred Owl was found on the ground at Camp Thunderbird – a local youth activity centre. The nestling was admitted as the 724th patient of the year, lethargic, thin and dehydrated. As male and female Barred Owls look the same by feather patterns, there was no telling (without a DNA test) if it was a he or she. The young bird also had some blood around its nostrils – perhaps trauma from the fall as it was too young to be out of the nest.

Exactly 100 patient intakes and one week later, case 824 was admitted on June 16 – another nestling Barred Owl. This one was being attacked by ravens in Saanich. Although the young owl looked in good condition, upon further exam it was discovered the raptor was riddled with ectoparasites, had a toe fracture, hip puncture, and bleeding under the skin.

The two Barred Owls were caged together to keep each other company. Both were treated for their parasite infestations and hand fed meat until they were able to recognize food and feed themselves, about one month later. Once eating well on their own, they were moved from their enclosure to the 70 foot flight pen in order to exercise their flight muscles together.

After several months of learning to fly and hunt for themselves, they were ready to be released – together of course. The owls were banded by Ann Nightengale of the Rocky Point Bird Banding Observatory, so if they ever were found in need of help again even years later, we would be able to identify them. On November 25, the tale of the two Barred Owls was complete with their release around Florence Lake in Langford.

The BC SPCA is a non-profit organization funded primarily by public donations. Our mission is to prevent cruelty and to promote the welfare of animals through a wide range of services, including cruelty investigations, emergency rescue and treatment, sheltering and adoption of homeless and abused animals, humane education, advocacy, farm animal welfare, spay/neuter programs, and wildlife rescue and rehabilitation.