We had another week of badly injured birds, but Intern Clare took fun photos of visitors and Tricia captured cloud formations just prior to our epic thunderstorm.
American Robin 25-039 had a shattered humerus after being attacked by a cat.
Black-headed Grosbeak 25-040 also had a fractured humerus, likely the result of being struck by a vehicle.
Future ornithologist Joe with his father David enjoyed meeting the education birds, especially Turkey Vulture Daryl and Peregrine Falcon Iris.
It is with great sadness that I share the news of the loss of Great Horned Owl Sage, long-time member of Blue Mountain Wildlife’s Education Team. I will let intern Clare share her thoughts with you…
“My heart goes out to Blue Mountain Wildlife, and in particular Tricia, on their loss of Sage. They have had Sage since he arrived as a nestling in 1994. For the past two-and-a-half weeks, I had watched Sage take a mouse from Tricia and then give it back to her before he was rewarded with two more mice for dinner. Their bond was a wonder to observe.”
Below is a photo of Sage by photographer Dirk Hummer…
Owl Releases
We were fortunate to be able to release two owls this past week. Western Screech Owl 25-009 was found at the South Baker Intermediate School in Baker City, Oregon. He had a head injury likely the result of striking a window. A few snowflakes did not dampen the students excitement as they watched the owl’s release.
We traveled a short distance from the school to release Barn Owl 25-024 who had recovered from a dislocated shoulder. He headed straight to “his” grove of trees after intern Clare opened the door to the travel box.
While collision with a vehicle is the most common cause of injury to the birds admitted to BMW, this past week the two new admissions were both gunshot victims. Neither could be rehabilitated.
Sharp-shinned Hawk 25-036 had multiple injuries caused by an air rifle pellet.
Great Horned Owl 25-037 had a broken wing and a broken leg. From the fragmentation visible in the x-ray below, we know that the projectile was lead. Non-lead ammunition does not fragment when it strikes it’s target. The owl also had a blood lead level of 12.9 micrograms/deciliter, indicating some of the prey it had eaten had been shot with lead ammunition.
I will close by sharing a few more words and a photo from Clare…
“There is a kindness in what we do here. We accept death as a part of life and don’t allow suffering in its inevitability. The hard part is dealing with what our fellow humans do. Some shoot at birds. They shoot with lead pellets which can cause lead poisoning in predators who may consume the birds. That is true cruelness.”
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.
