Marc Alverson releasing the Barred Owl at Kirker Cemetery on February 6. (Photo by Cindy Alverson)
A barred owl got a new lease on life after a short stay at the Sheriff’s Office and 20 days in rehab.
On Thursday January 18, a good Samaritan dropped off an injured barred owl found near Kirker Cemetery to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office who in turn contacted Adams County Wildlife officer, Gus Kiebel. Kiebel, who was not able to respond at the time contacted Bill Wickerham of Adams County Soil & Water. Wickerham responded and picked up the owl from the Sheriff’s Office and after calling Raptor, a bird of prey rehabilitating center in Milford, delivered the owl to its facility.
According to Cindy Alverson, Executive director of Raptor, the owl had no broken bones, and speculated it was most likely struck by a vehicle. The owl she said was bruised and banged up, but otherwise healthy.
Based on the weight of the owl, Alverson believes it’s a female with a healthy weight of nearly two pounds. Initially, there was some concern with its vision but evidently that concern vanished once the owl started to recover.
Alverson went on to say that once the owl was received it was immediately given fluids and within a day began eating on her own. Upon examination no dislocated or fractured bones were found. Within four days the owl was strong enough to be evaluated outside and was flying well enough to begin flight conditioning for eventual release back in her territory. The owl was banded with a USFWS metal band which can identify the bird should it ever be recovered and tell how long the bird lived and how far it traveled after its release.
“The owl was very lucky”, Alverson said. “She just needed some time to recuperate from the soreness caused by the impact”.
After 20 days at the Raptor rehab facility the female barred owl was well enough to be release back into the wild.
“It’s breeding season,” said Alverson, “and we want to get healthy owls back to their home territory as quickly as possible”.
On Tuesday, February 6 around 5 p.m. Raptor transported the owl to Kirker Cemetery in Liberty Township and released it. After a moment of hesitancy, and perhaps uncertainty, it got its bearings and then quickly flew out of the cardboard box it was transported in, landed on a nearby tree in the fence row, briefly surveyed the territory and then took flight due south.
I asked Cindy how old the owl was, and she estimated the owl to be a full-grown adult, 2 to 3 years old. She said barred owls can live up to 15-years in the wild but old age gets them when they can no longer hunt efficiently due to declining reflexes, agility and eyesight.
Raptor is a non-profit raptor rehabilitation organization that has been nursing injured birds of prey back for nearly 40 years. Over 200 hawks, owls, falcons, osprey and eagles have been admitted for care with injuries from collisions with autos and windows, entanglement with fishing lines, and occasionally orphaned and injured young who fall from nests.
Raptor will be at the 19th Annual Adams County Amish Bird Symposium, hosted by the Adams County Travel & Visitors Bureau on March 2, at the Wheat Ridge Community Building where they will be giving a presentation on Rehabilitating Birds of Prey. Some seating is still available for that event, registration is at www.amishbirdsymposium.org.
To report an injured bird of prey contact Raptor at (513) 825-3325. Raptor also has open houses which are open to the public the last Sunday of the month, March through November, 1 – 4 p.m.- family-friendly, fun and lots of activities – biofacts to explore, and tours of the facility.
Raptor is located at 961 Barg Salt Run in Milford, Ohio. Find more info at www.raptorinc.org.
