Congress of the Birds – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ Wed, 10 Jun 2026 23:33:09 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.3 https://owlsintowels.org/content/media/tBNh7to.png Congress of the Birds – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ 32 32 Rhode Islander Barred Owl https://owlsintowels.org/rhode-islander-barred-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/rhode-islander-barred-owl/#respond Mon, 08 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4319 A towel-wrapped Barred Owl is held by a rehabber wearing a pair of semi-transparent gloves. At least, I hope they're gloves or this person has no fingernails. The owl's feathers are an ashy mix of brown and white, eyes are black, and beak is yellow the tone of aged cheddar. The towel is patterned in broad stripes of white and brick-red. Though it should be noted, the redness of the brick usually depends on the clay whence it was fired, so for the sake of geographical agnosticism, let's call it a shade between persimmon and vermilion. Persimilion perhaps?

Original post – 27 Feb 2025
by Congress of the Birds

located in Providence, Rhode Island, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

In a world that often feels like it’s in a constant state of crisis (and let’s be honest, it is), how about a little healing imagery to brighten your day? 🦉✨ Meet some of our ‘owls in towels’! You might be wondering: why do we swaddle them like little owl burritos? The answer is simple—it’s to weigh them, medicate them, and ensure they get the nutrition they need!

When owls are debilitated, they’re often too weak to feed themselves. That’s where we step in, providing supportive care with meds, fluids, and hand-feeding until they regain their strength. [This owl] is one of our current patients who just got their final dose of antiparisitic medication (after battling a nasty roundworm infestation!) and—drumroll, please—self-fed for the first time today! 🎉 Big gains!

Link to donate to Congress of the Birds for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Strix variaBarred OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/rhode-islander-barred-owl/feed/ 0 RIP to the Photographer https://owlsintowels.org/rip-to-the-photographer/ https://owlsintowels.org/rip-to-the-photographer/#respond Wed, 31 Dec 2025 23:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2905 Angry yellow eyes on this Great Horned Owl are accentuated by the V-shape of his brow stretching from the tips of his plumicorns to his nostrils. He's burrito-wrapped in a vanilla towel, held by a rehabilitator with blue gloves. The towel covers the tip of his beak, and lifts a tuft of feathers to the back. It cannot be overstated how mad he looks.

Original post – 27 Dec 2025
by Congress of the Birds

located in Providence, Rhode Island, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

Wildlife rehab work never stops. On Christmas Day, we admitted this very angry Great Horned Owl who became entangled in a backyard soccer net—likely while hunting. The homeowners did exactly the right thing by calling us and waiting for our team to arrive before attempting to free him.

Thankfully, there are no fractures, but he has significant soft-tissue swelling from struggling to escape and is understandably very sore. He’ll be with us for the next few weeks on anti-inflammatory medication, with his wing wrapped as it heals. Once the swelling resolves, he’ll begin flight conditioning as he works his way back to release.

Lighting has a dramatic effect on the GHOW's appearance. His pupils are much smaller, contracted in the brighter setting, and his expression far calmer compared to the previous photo, despite being fundamentally the same. Make no mistake, he's still plotting murder. He's not wearing a towel here, and we see the yellow mesh of the soccer net that got him into this situation wrapped around his left wing.
The incident in question. The goal frame is on its side amid piles of autumn leaves before a white paling fence. The GHOW stares violently at the camera as the rescuer holds him by the legs. His wing and back feathers are ensnared in the strands of green-yellow mesh that has been cut free from the main net. He does not look remotely thankful.

Sports nets left up outdoors are a serious and often overlooked hazard for wildlife. Birds of prey, songbirds, and even mammals can become entangled—sometimes fatally—especially during nighttime hunting flights. Taking nets down when not in use can prevent these injuries.

Link to donate to Congress of the Birds for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/rip-to-the-photographer/feed/ 0