A Burrowing Owl and a Sharp-shinned Hawk were the two admissions this past week. Burrowing Owl 25-034 was found behind the grill of a pickup. Unfortunately the tiny owl was no match for the vehicle. Its left humerus had multiple fractures.The damage could not be repaired.
Sharp-shinned Hawk 25-035 was admitted with a compound fracture (the bone was exposed) of its left humerus. The wing could not be repaired and the awk was euthanized.
There is good news this week! Barn Owl 25-024 is ready to be returned to Baker City for release after recuperating from a dislocated shoulder. We will coordinate with ODFW to determine a good release site for the owl.
Western Screech Owl 25-029’s fractured ulna is healing well. One of the initial concerns was that the ulna would adhere to the radius as the fracture healed. The fracture is healing nicely and there is full range of motion in the wing. Below is the initial x-ray.
The fracture was immobilized by placing a figure-8 bandage on the wing resulting in better alignment at the fracture site. We are cautiously optimistic this little owl will be releasable within a month or two.
There were six new admissions this past week. We are hopeful two will be releasable, including Barn Owl 25-028 who was found tangled in fishing line. Fortunately, the finder was able to remove the fishing line. The owl has a small brood patch, indicating she had started laying eggs. We found no fractures when taking x-rays. Her left wing droops and there is a “fuzzy” look around her right scapula.
Her initial packed cell volume (the percentage of red blood cells in her blood) was 45.5. Three days later after being rehydrated, her PCV had dropped to 31.0, a more accurate measurement indicating a slight anemia. We assume birds are dehydrated when they first arrive due to the stress caused by their condition or injuries. We calculate their daily fluid requirement and fluid deficit based on their normal weight and provide that amount of fluids during daily treatments.
The owl also has a measurable level of lead in her blood. At 4.1 micrograms/deciliter it is not high enough to require chelation, but it is the first time we have found lead in a barn owl.
Western Screech Owl 25-029 has a fractured right ulna. The fracture has been immobilized with a figure-eight wrap. Below is the x-ray and a photo of Tricia and intern Clare administering oral fluids.
Sharp-shinned Hawk 25-030 was admitted with a shattered ulna. Humane euthanasia was all we could provide for the small hawk.
Red-tailed Hawk 25-031 exhibited symptoms of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) and was euthanized on admission. A tissue sample will be sent to the Oregon State Veterinary Diagnostic Lab to confirm the diagnosis. In February Red-tailed Hawk 25-023 tested positive for HPAI. Both birds were found in the Hermiston area.
Long-eared Owl 25-032 had old fractures in the left major and minor metacarpals. The bones and soft tissue were exposed and dried. Euthanasia was again the only option.
American Robin 25-032 was admitted with multiple fractures, including the left scapula, the left femur, and the right radius, as well as a dislocated left elbow. There was simply too much damage to repair.
The release of Great Horned Owl 24-430 was the high point of the week. The owl was found in the median of Interstate 84 on the Umatilla Indian Reservation on December 22, 2024. The only indication of trauma was a hemorrhagic left eye and an unwillingness to fly when approached. Intern Clare released the owl on the reservation well away from the freeway. He seemed very happy to be back in his home territory!
We are very happy to have intern Clare here for 8 weeks. Clare is a retired pediatric nurse from New Hampshire. Something tells me there will be lots of overlap between dealing with wildlife and babies!
There were 4 new admissions this past week. The first was Barn Owl 25-024 who had been banded as a nestling at Ladd March (near La Grande) on May 14, 2023. The owl has a dislocated shoulder. The treatment plan is cage rest and tincture of time. We are hoping for a complete recovery.
Rock Dove 25-025 was admitted with a fractured humerus. Humane euthanasia was the only alternative for the bird.
American Coot 25-026 had a compound fracture of the right tibiotarsus (the bone below the knee). Again, euthanasia was the only alternative.
Red-tailed Hawk 25-026 was admitted with damage to his right shoulder and a dislocated right hip. The bird’s breathing was very shallow as we were conducting the exam and giving fluids. He died as he was recovering from anesthesia. Trauma from the collision that had caused his injuries was certainly a factor. Red-tailed Hawks are high risk species for avian influenza so we will test for that as well.
Families visited the BMW “Owlery” this past week as part of the City of Pendleton Library Hogwarts 2024-2025 school year. The snow you see in the photo below has melted and it feels like spring is well on its way!
Great Horned Owl 25-022 was found along a county road near Milton-Freewater. The owl had fractures in its right wing and was presumed to have been struck by a vehicle. The finder transported the owl to Pendleton where it was examined. An x-ray showed that the proximal humerus (the part of the bone closest to the shoulder) was shattered. The shoulder and elbow joints were also damaged. Humane euthanasia was the only option. The owl showed no signs of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, but because they are a high risk species for the disease we will test. The results should be available from the OSU Veterinary Diagnostic Lab by mid-week.
Thank you to all who sent words of encouragement and financial support this past week. You are an important part of the BMW Team and we are very grateful for your support!
There were five new admissions in the past week. Black-headed Grosbeak 25-016 struck a window fracturing his beak and rupturing both eyes. The damage was too severe to repair. American Kestrel 25-017 is in the clinic recovering from a left scapula fracture. He is eating well. We will have to wait until the injury has healed to know how well he will fly. Both the normal and fractured scapulas can be seen in the x-ray below.
Western Screech Owl 25-018 was found in a road. Although the owl did not appear to have any fractures, it died of its injuries during the night.
Immature Bald Eagle 25-019 was found along Interstate-84 near North Powder. The eagle had electrocution burns on her feet and was unable to stand. X-rays showed the lower part of her pelvis was crushed. Its hard to know exactly what happened, but she may have made contact with the power lines with her feet and then fell from the air hitting the ground tail first. Again, the damage was too extensive to repair. In the x-rays below the eagle is on the left and a hawk is on the right. There are fractures in the hawk’s ischia, but the bones are in relatively good alignment. The fractures in the eagle’s pelvis are comminuted which means there are three or more pieces at the fracture site.
