Great Horned Owl Flies Free after Treatment at WildCare’s Wildlife Hospital

Hungry Owl Project is a program of WildCare, and all of WildCare’s programs work together to help owls and the many other animals that need us.

WildCare has cared for hundreds of animals this year. Many of the patients we treat are brought to our front desk by compassionate people who can’t stand to walk past an injured animal and feel compelled to help. Over 75% of patients admitted to our Wildlife Hospital so far this year were birds, and it’s always a great joy to see them fly free after a successful course of treatment.

This female Great Horned Owl was found tangled in a soccer net by a big hearted animal lover at College of Marin. The owl had an injured shoulder and she received care in our Wildlife Hospital for nearly two weeks.  After being treated in with anti-inflammatory medication, assisted feedings, and plenty of rest she was ready to be released back into the wild.

Great Horned Owls are nocturnal, like all owls, so this bird had to be released in the dark. As you can see in the video, the headlights of the car are illuminating the release site, but it was dark out. She had a little bit of difficulty getting out of the carrier, but with a little help from a WildCare volunteer she finally made her escape. After being released close enough to the tree line so she had somewhere to hide and get her bearings she flew silently into the night.

It’s moments like these that make all of the hard work we do worth it, and we couldn’t do it without the support of our members and donors. Thanks so everyone who has given to WildCare! Want to support WildCare’s work so we can treat and release more beautiful birds like this one?

Make a monthly donation today, and help us keep our Wildlife Hospital running strong.