Happy New Year
Thank You to everyone who helped us through a most challenging year. We look forward to continuing our partnership as we strive to meet the challenges and make the most of new opportunities in 2021.
The Week in Review
There were just six new admissions during the last week of 2020: two Red-tailed Hawks, two Western Screech Owls, one Barn Owl and one Great Horned Owl. The first admission of 2021 was a Bald Eagle whose injuries are consistent with electrocution. She is an adult female in very good body condition. She has wounds on her left wing and left leg that appear to be a few days old. It will take several more days for the full extent of the tissue damage to be visible.
Barn Owl 20-630
Barn Owl 20-630 was admitted December 31, 2020 after colliding with a semi truck. Her wing was damaged to extensively to repair and she was humanely euthanized. During a physical exam we found a brood patch. It was not quite fully formed which hopefully means she was sitting on eggs rather than owlets. In the photo below you can see significant bruising at the base of the keel as a result of the collision. The purpose of the brood patch is to allow the bird’s skin to be in direct contact with the eggs, maintaining both the proper temperature and humidity for the eggs.
