Maria
Great Horned Owls have their young very early in the year, regardless of the weather.
Maria, the baby Great Horned Owl, tumbled 30 feet to the ground when her nest blew down in one of our many winter storms. Her parents were very upset, but of course, were unable to get Maria or the nest back up in the tree where she could be safe.
Rescuing and Returning Maria
Maria found her way to our Wildlife Hospital, thanks to a caring citizen who alerted us to her situation.
We did a thorough exam to make sure Maria didn’t suffer any serious injury from the fall. We made a nest basket lined with cloth for Maria in one of our baby bird incubators, and hand-fed her for a few days to restore her energy. Once Maria had fully recovered from her ordeal, Wildlife Manager Scott Diehl used a wicker laundry basket to create a replacement nest for her in the original nest tree. He placed Maria in the new nest just as it was getting dark, so the little owl would not have to wait very long for her parents to come back to tend to her.
Reuniting Maria with Her Family
Sure enough, no sooner than Maria was placed into the new nest than her parents began hooting excitedly nearby, and soon flew to the nest to rejoin Maria
It’s a happy ending for the owl family, and we were delighted to be able to have the resources and expertise to save Maria’s life and reunite her with her parents. Your sponsorship will help us save more wild animals like Maria!
