A rescuer dropped off a great horned owl (25-4549) at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) after finding the bird unmoving along the side of the road.

Its initial exam revealed that the bird was emaciated, dehydrated, and ataxic, but luckily it did not have any other physical injuries. Bloodwork showed significant systemic inflammation, so the owl was given systemic antibiotics to treat the possible bacterial infection, as well as fluids to treat its dehydration.

CROW’s veterinarians suspected that the owl also sustained some form of head trauma which was causing it to be uncoordinated and clumsy. Its weakness slowly began to improve with medical therapy. After a week, a recheck CBC was performed, and the patient’s blood work was normal. It was moved to a large outdoor flight enclosure where it regained fitness before being released back into the wild at the end of November.

More about Great Horned Owls

The great horned owl, a common species found in North America and parts of South America, is known for its distinctive “ear” tufts that are not actually ears. They are feathers that these owls use for camouflage and communication, while their real ears are large openings on either side of their heads that are covered in feathers.

Owl feathers are also structured slightly differently than most other avians. The edges of their flight feathers are more comb-like and less stiff, which not only reduces their sound but also absorbs excess noise, allowing their flight to be practically silent. This adaptation, coupled with their sensitive hearing and eyes that are well-suited to low light conditions, make great horned owls impressive nocturnal hunters.

CROW’s Ambassador Owl, Mina

While this patient was able to be released, CROW also has a permanent great horned owl ambassador named Mina. Mina came to CROW as a patient in 2016 after being found missing most of her right wing. After treating her, it became clear that she wouldn’t be able to survive on her own in the wild, so CROW was granted permission to keep her as an ambassador animal. Today, Mina serves as a great representative of her species, educating visitors and members of the public about great horned owls, CROW, and an appreciation for wildlife.