The Week in Review
Spring is here and business is picking up. The first baby owls arrived, four Great Horned Owls and a Western Screech Owl, along with eight other raptors and three songbirds. We welcomed Adrian, our first intern since 2019. And sadly, determined two dead Great Horned Owls found along a road near Helix, OR had been shot.
Nestling Great Horned Owls 21-063 and 21-064
Two nestling Great Horned Owls fell from their nest when the nest was badly damaged in our recent wind storm. Fortunately, the owls were uninjured and the resourceful home owner put up a substitute nest (aka laundry basket lined with old nest parts). The owlets were successfully returned to the care of their parents the next day.
Gunshot Great Horned Owls 21- 066 &21-067
We received a call from a concerned landowner who found two dead, adult Great Horned Owls on opposite sides of a road near his house. He asked if we could determine the cause of death. Owls had nested near his house for many years. He enjoyed seeing them and appreciated the benefit of having free rodent control. I told him we could examine the birds and let him know what we found.
A radiograph of each bird left little doubt that they had been shot. All native birds are protected by state and federal law. In addition, raptors are a vital part of the natural world. A family of Great Horned Owls can consume thousands of mice during spring and summer while the young owlets are growing. If you see someone illegally shooting native wildlife, please report it to the local authorities.
Welcome Adrian!
We welcomed new intern Adrian on Thursday. She is a recent graduate of Central Washington University in Ellensburg, WA with a degree in biology. Adrian volunteered at Sarvey Wildlife Care Center and has conducted research on snake road mortality. She is the go-to person in the Ellensburg area to relocate rattlesnakes!
