The Education Birds are getting their annual check ups. This week it was Barn Owls Helen and Carmen and Short-eared Owls Sally and Wendy’s turn. Everyone received a clean bill of health!

Barn Owls, Tyto alba, have a pectinate talon on each foot, unlike other owls who are in a different family, Strigidae. The pectinate talon is thought to help with grooming their heads. Nightjars, herons and egrets also have pectinate claws. 

Owls have feathers on their feet all the way to their talons. The feathers on Barn Owl toes look more like bristles. 

Helen and Carmen are both laying eggs (which are not fertile since they are both female). Below is a photo of Helen’s brood patch. The bare skin of the brood patch allows the owl to maintain the eggs at the appropriate temperature and humidity while they are being incubated. We removed 14 eggs from the nest box when we brought the owls inside for their check ups.

The radiographs taken of the owls indicate they will both continue laying eggs…

Neither of the Short-eared Owls are showing signs of laying eggs.  Below, Samantha is drawing a blood sample from Sally. You can see her toes are feathered to her talons.

Virtual Education Exhibit

You can now visit Blue Mountain Wildlife’s Virtual Education Exhibit on our website by clicking on the photo above. The exhibit works best on Chrome. Some elements may not view properly on Firefox and Safari. Samantha researched and developed the exhibit with help from Winnie and Tricia. It is a work in progress so check back periodically to see what new exhibits have been added. BMW is so fortunate to have such talented and resourceful staff! 

If you are unable to see the photos, just click the link at the top of the newsletter and view it on BMW’s website.

We had another quiet week with no new admissions at the Pendleton Center. We were able to release Western Screech Owl 23-012 admitted on February 27 after being found stuck to a sticky trap. After a bath and a few days inside to completely dry and get his bearings, the little owl went out to a flight pen. There is a covered roost at the opposite end of the pen, but the owl preferred the camouflaged wooden door. Can you find him?

The owl was banded and Tricia released it at Riverfront Park in Hermiston, close (but not too close!) to where it was found. 

Please remember to place sticky traps where they will not catch unintended victims like birds or bats. It is also a good idea to cap your chimney with a spark arrester so birds or squirrels will not be tempted to investigate the chimney as a possible nesting site and sparks cannot escape and start a fire.

It was another fairly slow week as we inch toward spring. The Benton City Center admitted an adult Barn Owl from Yakima that appears to have been in a collision. It has no apparent fractures, but is unable to fly. Hopefully tincture of time is all that is needed for a full recovery.

A Fourth Barn Owl Egg Hatched

There are now 4 baby Barn Owls at the Benton City Center. Barn Owls are in a separate family from other owls. They look rather prehistoric without feathers!

There were two admissions at the Pendleton Center

A Northern Flicker was mauled by a dog and died of its injuries before we could examine it. A Western Screech Owl was found inside a house, stuck to a sticky trap. After multiple baths with Dawn Dish Soap and time in an incubator to dry off, the owl was acting like a typical feisty owl with a good appetite. It is now outside in a flight pen and should be ready for release soon.

It Looks Like Spring?!!

Saturday…

Sunday…

Thought For The Day

In the Before Times (before COVID19) during classroom presentations, I would remind students that we are all connected and what we do to the environment we do to ourselves, therefore we should take care of the world around us. It is easy to think, as individuals we have no power, but that is not true! We can each make choices that will conserve resources: turn off the light when you leave a room, combine your errands to reduce the number of miles driven, shop local and plan menus to include more whole grains and fresh produce. You will save money, consume fewer calories and reduce your environmental foot print! Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

The First Owls have Hatched at the Benton City Center…

Michele reports two barn owl eggs have hatched and a third is hatching as I compose this newsletter. Baby season has officially arrived at BMW!

Bald Eagle 23-011

We lost the second Bald Eagle to ingested lead toxicity this year. The eagle was admitted Wednesday and died Thursday afternoon. The rapid screening test for avian influenza was negative, but his blood lead level was high, meaning it was above the level our LeadCare machine could read. We started chelation therapy immediately, but the eagle died 30 hours after he was admitted. This is why we encourage Lead Free Hunting and Fishing!

Momma Barn Owl and Eggs!!!

She wasn’t the greatest housekeeper, but this Barn Owl picked a very protected place to nest, until the owner wanted to do some remodeling. 

Fortunately he was willing to wait for volunteers Kenny and Janie to drive to Outlook, WA and collect momma and her eggs. First they captured mom, then Janie collected the eggs.

Now momma owl and her eggs are safely in a nest box at BMW’s Tri-Cities Center. Michele candled the eggs and they all appear to be fertile. Good job everyone!