I rescued a Great Horned Owlet this morning at 5:45 am!
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I have watched this family of owls since the parents first selected their nesting site in early February. I actually refer to this owlet by the name of “Tweedledum” or “Dum” for short. Why that name? It’s a long story for another day.
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Just before sunrise this morning I found this guy standing on the ground on a local hiking trail being dive bombed by a HUGE flock of crows. The owlet had been forced to the ground by the crows and was still under attack. Between me, Ma and Pa Owl … we stopped that attack. I stopped the attack on the ground. The parent owls then chased the crows away.
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My second task was to get the owl off the public trail where it would have been harmed by well meaning people later in the morning. I herded the chick into the woods … a deep thicket where it would be safe and could rest. I knew that later in the morning the owlet should recover enough strength to fly back up into a tree. I hung around till 7:15 am to insure that early morning predators like foxes or coyotes would not find my friend. Once I saw my first morning hikers through the trees, I knew the evening hunters would now be scarce and I could leave.
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Background Information: Great Horned Owlets when they first fledge are very weak flyers for many days … only able to fly 25 to 50 yards. The owlets must then rest (flight muscles are not yet strong). The crows caught my owlet at sunrise. The combination of the attacking crows and high winds was more than this chick could handle, but all is fine now (I checked later in the morning).
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Summary: I left the owlet in a safe place. Both parent owls were watching over it while the chick was on the ground. All and all … a good morning’s work! As a fyi … if you come across a situation in the woods like I did this morning. First, make certain all is well and the owl is not injured, but then just like my actions this morning, leave the owl alone! I protected the owl, but ultimately relied upon nature and the parent owls to take care of the situation.
On the Trail … Stopping the Crow attack … Herding the Owlet
When I first arrived, the owlet was NOT happy with me or the crows. In the first two images the chick is trying to scare me hoping I will go away. At this point it does not understand my presence has now stopped the crows from attacking.
Second image of the owlet trying to scare me …
This is the start of my herding process. By slowing inching forward I encouraged the owlet to leave the public hiking path for a near by thicket where I felt it would be safe. Although the woods were deserted at 5:45 am, this area would have lots of hikers in about an hour.
Both Ma and Pa Great Horned Owls landed in the trees directly above my head, but NEVER remotely threatened or dive bombed me. I think they somehow both knew I was not a threat and was helping. While the parents ignored me, they made repeated vicious attacks at the crows. One hundred percent of their attention was on the crows and driving them away. Their other owlets were in a near by tree, which was not a safe perch in terms of avoiding crow attacks (yes … the missing triplet has reappeared!!!). Here is an image of Ma on the lookout …
In the thicket of trees
The owlet is now safely settled in the thicket, which was a walk of about 100 yards.
Just looking at me … no more aggressive behavior in my direction.
The ultimate complement … the owlet went to sleep. It had had a very tough early morning. Remember, I hung around for about one hour (sitting on the ground) to insure no predators crashed this party. When I saw my first hikers of the day, I left. I was quite camouflaged where I was sitting.
Just another image of the chick checking me out …
The look an owl gives you as one hikes away. The parents were in the trees above watching out for the chick. Later in the morning I confirmed the owlet had made the flight back up into a tree. Last night was this chick’s first flight where it actually left the nesting tree. At this point its flight muscles are very, very weak. It needed rest before it could fly up into a white pine tree.
Videos
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On the trail during the crow attack (video link for email subscribers)
Note: The chick regards me as a threat at this point. I have just stopped the initital dive bombing of the crows. It is 5:45 am. The crows left the owlet alone because they were scared of me.
Down in the thicket … I am about to leave (video link for email subscribers)
Note: Everyone is calmed down, and the chick is safely in a thicket where is well off the trail and can not be seen.
End of post.
