There is an owl in my bathroom.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

I was pulling up in front of my house this evening when I saw something flopping around in the middle of the street, so I quickly parked the car and ran out to check on it. It turned out to be a screech owl, apparently with a broken wing, and at first all I could do was stand in the street and keep it from getting run over. Then I put my jacket over it and moved it to the side of the street, then a neighbor and I got it into a cardboard box. I called the emergency vet clinic but they don't handle wild animals, so then I tried calling the Raptor Center at the U. of MN, which, of course, isn't open at night. So for now the owl is in a blanket-covered box in my bathroom (and the litter box is now in the hall), safe at least from the cats. First thing tomorrow, assuming it's still alive, I'll take it to the Raptor Center. Good vibes for the owl, please...

[skygazer]

1. I was going to post something silly about it using the toilet

thinking it had somehow flown inside your house. But then I read the post and realized you rescued it. Good for you - I hope it makes it. Owls are neat. :hi:

[Maestro]

2. Good for you.

Hopefully, it won't start calling. Screech owls live up to their name. Hopefully you can get it to the raptor center.

[likesmountains 52]

3. fingers crossed for him..owls are so cool..thanks for trying to save him..

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. Quoth the Owl, "Hooty hoo."

Best of luck.

[BlueIris]

5. ((((((( Owl ))))))).

Good luck. You are obviously a kindred spirit. We rescue wild birds around my place, too.

[Demoiselle]

6. Make sure the owl has breathing holes in that box! (eom)

[Richard Steele]

7. Good for you. Just pray it doesn't start screeching!

Good luck :thumbsup:

[Jamastiene]

8. Good vibes coming your owl's way.

If I might make a suggestion, name him, "Al." It rhymes with owl and Al Gore would probably be proud of you for caring about wildlife. :hi:

[hisownpetard]

9. Nah, I just have a towel in my bathroom. Nothing cool.

[LeftyMom]

10. Good for you. Hope she makes it.

[Oeditpus Rex]

11. How excellent of you

Vibes for the owl, hugs for you. :hug:

[Lasher]

12. I was wondering if it was an unharmed fledgling.

But it's the wrong time of year for that. They hatch in the spring and all would be grown by now.

[Heidi]

13. Weird. An owl flew into my studio last summer through an open door

and just walked around looking at stuff before CMW took him out (perched on CMW's arm) and sent him home. The owl had spent a few months in my brother-in-law's bird rescue station across the road from us and had recently been released into the wild after healing up. But he (she?) still lives around here and just happened to wander into my studio. Surprising, to say the least.

Good healing vibes to your visitor, ocelot! :thumbsup:

[hfojvt]

14. soon there will be a picket line

of rabbits and voles in front of your house. Demanding the owl's head on a pike!!!

5 years I went to the U of M, and I never heard of a Raptor Center. Is that new? And what ever happened with the strike?

[sasquatch]

15. Call Animal control

[xchrom]

16. for the owl...

Dear God, you have given us care over all living things; protect and bless the animals who give us companionship and delight, make us their true friends and worthy companions. Amen.



Dear God, protect and bless all beings that breathe, keep all evil from them, and let them sleep in peace. Amen.
--Albert Schweitzer, "Memoirs of Childhood and Youth"


Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. You called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on the land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters. We ask you to bless this pet. By the power of your love, enable it to live according to your plan. May we always praise you for all your beauty in creation. Blessed are you, Lord our God, in all your creatures! Amen.
--Franciscan prayer

Healing and transforming God, your love knows no boundaries, and in your sight every life is precious; look with compassion on Owl, and make us your agents of healing in a broken world. Amen.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

17. So far, so good.

It's 6:00 a.m. and the owl is still alive and kicking. I'm off to the Raptor Center as soon as they open. Hope they can fix the little guy up.

I love owls.

[TZ]

18. I love owls too but have actually never seen one in the wild..

Envy you. Hope they can help the little guy. And you are lucky that he didn't screech..It would have freaked you and the kitties out..I have heard about people thinking that screech owls were ghosts or goblins because of it...

[Orsino]

19. Lucky that they are in reach.

Bless you, and please post updates!

[Richardo]

20. "...what am I gonna do?"

There's an owl in my bathroom what am I gonna do?
I'm gonna fix that owl that's what I'm gonna do
I'm gonna fix that owl.

:D

[WannaBeGrumpy]

21. I wish I had an owl in my bathroom...

that would be cool.

[lildreamer316]

24. Psst.

:hug:

[WannaBeGrumpy]

27. ...

:hug:

[semillama]

22. Let us know how the owl does.

Did you know that Screech Owls don't really screech? Their calls are more like a descending cross between a whistle and a whinny.

[tigereye]

31. that's what I was going to say, but it has more weight coming from you

they have that wonderful descending soft trill. I used to hear one every fall, but I missed him or her last year.


It's a lovely sound.


Glad the owl is ok.

[KitchenWitch]

23. Of course!

Thank you for taking care of the owl!

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

25. I got the owl to the Raptor Center this morning, still alive.

Not screeching, though. I turned him over to a volunteer, later left a message to call me to let me know how he/she is doing. I haven't heard back yet (they are staffed mostly by volunteers who don't have much time for phone duty), but I hope to find something out tomorrow.

Owls are so cool. This one looked at me by turning his head upside down. I don't know how they do that.

[Richard Steele]

26. Good news. Thanks for the update! nm

[Arugula Latte]

28. Thanks for taking care of it ...

:applause: :yourock:

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

29. Owl update:

I finally got a call back from the Raptor Center (a pretty interesting place, check it out here: http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/). The owl is still alive and stable, but "its" (gender still undetermined; it's hard to tell with owls) condition hasn't changed. The person who called me said it doesn't have a broken wing, but instead seems to have some kind of neurological problem, maybe from a head injury, which is why it was flopping around. I asked whether owls get West Nile virus, and he said they did but this owl didn't have those symptoms. He also said it couldn't go back to the wild, but that if it survives they would probably keep it and care for it, since they keep "disabled" birds for educational purposes. I'll check back next week.

Also, I didn't identify it correctly -- it's not a screech owl; it's a short-eared owl, which is larger than a screech owl and has smaller ear tufts. According to the Raptor Center it's rather uncommon here. This is a short-eared owl:

http://www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu/raptor/info/shortearedowl.html

[GoddessOfGuinness]

30. Good for you, for taking care of him!

:hug::hug::hug:
I hope he's better soon!

[Maraya1969]

32. You can put some drops of water on his beak if he looks like he is

in shock or getting dehydrated. No need o feed him....water is good.


Thanks for being such a kind person.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

33. Thanks, but I don't have him now -- I took him to the Raptor Center.

Their instructions say you should not try to give an injured bird food OR water, so I didn't; just transported him to the center ASAP. I assume they've figured out how to feed him, since 4 days later he's still alive. I really hope they can do something for him.