MARS Wildlife Rescue – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ Sun, 03 May 2026 07:45:48 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://owlsintowels.org/content/media/tBNh7to.png MARS Wildlife Rescue – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ 32 32 How to Weigh a Large Bird https://owlsintowels.org/how-to-weigh-a-large-bird/ https://owlsintowels.org/how-to-weigh-a-large-bird/#respond Sun, 03 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4200
A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a loose burrito of beige towel. Her ear tufts are flat, making her head look particularly rounded. Her top eyelids are lowered a little, and she has a prominent brow, accented by light brown feathers, giving her yellow eyes an overall perturbed yet stern expression. One pupil is dilated more than the other, which (fun fact!) is something owls can do independently, allowing them to control the amount of light each eye receives.
A pair of fuzzy owl feet are bunched together and talons curled-inwards, rising up and out from a bundle of towel. The rest of the owl is obscured, so it's just feet, emerging from a white polystyrene box on a set of electronic scales.

Photos: NIAMH CARROLL-MARSH and MEGAN ERICKSON

Original post – 12 Dec 2024
by MARS Wildlife Rescue

located in Merville, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

⚖️ Ever wondered how we weigh our larger birds?

Modelled for us by some of our recent owl patients, we weigh our larger birds by safely wrapping them up in a towel (we like to call this ‘burrito-ing’ the patient) and gently placing them claws up in a box. This is all placed on a scale, and we can get accurate weights to help monitor health, while keeping stress levels as low as possible. While it seems like it could be extra stressful for the bird, many birds are able to relax once visual stimulation has been reduced.

Link to donate to MARS Wildlife Rescue for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/how-to-weigh-a-large-bird/feed/ 0 Barred Torpedowl https://owlsintowels.org/barred-torpedowl/ https://owlsintowels.org/barred-torpedowl/#respond Thu, 02 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=1915 A Barred Owl is wrapped in a beige towel in a tube-like fashion, with the camera looking down the barrel, so to speak. A rehabilitator is behind, holding the owl with appropriately thick gloves. Only the owl's face is visible (and largely obscured at that) but a yellow beak and one dark eye emerge from within.

2nd of Owltober!

Original post – 17 Sep 2025
by MARS Wildlife Rescue

located in Merville, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Barred Owl, or Barrel Owl? This Owl Torpedo was originally posted with the caption:

There’s something about an owl in a towel that boosts the serotonin…

Barred Owl 538 is not looking very impressed with their checks. Being restrained isn’t fun, but needs must.

Link to donate to MARS Wildlife Rescue for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Strix variaBarred OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/barred-torpedowl/feed/ 0 A+ Facilities Would Stay Again https://owlsintowels.org/a-plus-facilities-would-stay-again/ Fri, 11 Apr 2025 00:00:48 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=1551

Original post – 10 Dec 2024
by MARS Wildlife Rescue

located in Merville, British Columbia, Canada 🇨🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Owls in towels!

Our patients are wild, and often the safest and most comfortable way to restrain them for medical treatments or checks is to wrap them up all cozy in a towel or blanket. Not only does this keep both the patient and handler safe, but it’s super adorable

PHOTO: NIAMH CARROLL-MARSH

Link to donate to MARS Wildlife Rescue for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
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