this post was submitted on 02 Aug 2025
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For owls that are superb.

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US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now

International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com

Australia Rescue Help: WIRES

Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org

If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

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From Blackland Prairie Raptor Center

Nose Job? This Eastern Screech Owl came to our Rehab Center with some blood above its cere. The cere is a waxy fleshy covering above a bird's beak just below the eyes, where the nostrils (nares) are located. The owl is patiently sitting while our staff cleans the cere.

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[–] swelter_spark@reddthat.com 6 points 12 hours ago (1 children)

They look so accepting of humans handling them.

[–] anon6789@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

It feels more like compliance. They will hiss and click and puff up, but as soon as they're grabbed, they're usually pretty calm once they see they're not scaring you off.

Birds seem to really avoid fighting whenever possible. Losing the wrong feathers, breaking a bone, or getting a bad cut can all cost them their ability to fly, so if being menacing doesn't work, escape is usually the next best option if they aren't protecting their nest. If the opportunity isn't there to get away, they just seem to freeze up like this.

They're not enjoying it, but they seem to understand they aren't being actively hurt, so it's best to just wait it out.