Editor’s Note: The Great Horned Owl is part of the CROW CAW (Case A Week) series, which tells the stories of the patients at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island, the dangers they face, and how we can help protect all of our wildlife. Read previous cases here.
A great horned owl (25-4549) was dropped off at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) after it was found unmoving along the side of the road.
Its initial exam revealed that the bird was emaciated, dehydrated, and ataxic, but luckily, it did not have any other physical injuries. Blood work showed significant systemic inflammation, so the owl was given systemic antibiotics to treat the possible bacterial infection, as well as fluids to treat its dehydration.
The veterinarians suspected that the owl also sustained some form of head trauma, which was causing it to be uncoordinated and clumsy. Its weakness slowly began to improve with medical therapy. After a week, a recheck CBC was performed, and the patient’s blood work was normal.
It was moved to a large outdoor flight enclosure where it regained fitness before being released back into the wild at the end of November.
The great horned owl, a common species found in North America and parts of South America, is known for its distinctive “ear” tufts—though they are not actually ears. They are feathers that these owls use for camouflage and communication, while their real ears are large, feather-covered openings on either side of their heads.
Owl feathers are also structured slightly differently from most other avian feathers. The edges of their flight feathers are more comb-like and less stiff, which not only reduces their sound but also absorbs excess noise, allowing their flight to be practically silent.
This adaptation, coupled with their sensitive hearing and eyes well-suited to low-light conditions, makes great horned owls impressive nocturnal hunters.
While this patient was released, CROW also has a permanent great horned owl ambassador named Mina. Mina came to CROW as a patient in 2016 after being found missing most of her right wing.
After treating her, it became clear that she wouldn’t be able to survive on her own in the wild, so CROW was granted permission to keep her as an ambassador animal.
Today, Mina serves as a great representative of her species, educating visitors and members of the public about great horned owls, CROW, and wildlife appreciation.
Leave a Comment