Four downy Great Horned Owls were placed in hack boxes (large dog crates with the doors covered with corrugated plastic). The owls will be fed in the boxes for about one week. Then the doors will be removed. They will fledge in a week or so and return to the boxes for food until they are proficient at catching their own, usually sometime this fall.

Bald Eagle 25-069 has been moved to the large flight pen. She immediately started flapping her wings, but took a couple of days of exercise to get airborne. Her progress is slow, but she is improving each day. We are cautiously optimistic she will be releasable.

Golden Eagle 25-094 was found near Enterprise and is thought to have been struck by a vehicle. She had a large laceration on the underside of her left wing and a fractured left ulna. I was hoping closing the wound and immobilizing the fracture would be sufficient for healing, but it looks like we will also need to apply a body wrap to support the wing.

We also had visitors, including three classes of second graders from Irrigon on their annual field trip to BMW. They learned about birds of prey, dissected owl pellets and played the migration game. The game simulates some of the obstacles birds must navigate during spring and fall migration, including windows, power lines, toxic water, wind turbines and cars.

An additional 10 nestling Barn Owls and 5 eggs came from hay stacks that were being moved this past week, bringing the total to 10 owlets in two cages, 10 owlets in two brooders, and three eggs and one hatchling in the incubator who hatched today. Happy birthday little guy!

All these baby owls have got us thinking about a new game, Barn Owl Poker. We’re still working out the rules, but three eggs hatched in the incubator trumps three eggs hatched by momma owl. After all, we need special technology, mom comes equipped for the job!