Boobook Owl

Boobook Owl – Flies again

This little owl came into the Eastwood Veterinary Clinic and had sustained head injuries from a car strike.

She weighed 295 grams on arrival. It was treated with anti-inflammatory, and eye drops for 2 weeks in Intensive care. It took at least a week for her to slowly eat by herself. Prior to that, food was given by gastric lavage (stomach tube feeding). Once her coordination was better and she could eat properly, she went into the flight enclosure to practice flying again and finding food for herself, this took another week. Once we were satisfied that she could manage on her own again, the owl was released back where she was found with a belly full of food. Her weight was 330gms (on release).

As soon as she was released into her familiar area, she flew up and started calling. It did not take long for her calls to be heard and she was reunited a brief time after release.  This is why it is so important to release these adult birds in their own territory.

IMAGE SOURCE: SHANHAVEN SHELTER

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