Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ Mon, 13 Jul 2026 09:43:23 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.1 https://owlsintowels.org/content/media/tBNh7to.png Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ 32 32 Donut Startle Me Like That https://owlsintowels.org/donut-startle-me-like-that/ https://owlsintowels.org/donut-startle-me-like-that/#respond Mon, 13 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4522 A Short-Eared Owl is lain upon a white towel folded and formed in the shape of a donut. Her body sits in the hollow, and head is raised with lemon-yellow eyes fixed on the camera: bright rings around wide black pupils. Her beak is slightly open, and if she had eyebrows they'd be raised. She has an overall appearance of shock, somewhere between fright and delight. Feathers are brunette with streaks of blonde, and those around the chin and neck are ruffled by the towel - they overhang the crest of the donut and almost give the impression the owl has a beard. A blue bandage wraps a wing to the side.

Original post – 28 Sep 2025
by Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital

located in Ithaca, New York, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Within the walls of our hospital, we see only one of the many steps that a wild animal often goes through from the time it is first found until it is released back to the wild.

In late November 2024, one of our faculty veterinarians was fortunate enough to participate in many of the steps to recovery for a short-eared owl patient. When she was alerted by a family member about an owl on the ground in the front yard of an acquaintance, she drove over to help. She scooped up the short-eared owl that was laying in a ditch next to the road and brought it to the hospital for treatment of its broken wing.

A couple of days later, she repaired the small bone at the tip of the owl’s wing that was fractured into multiple pieces. After several weeks of healing, followed by several more weeks of flight conditioning at Kindred Kingdoms Wildlife Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Dr. Childs was thrilled to release the bird in the same location where it was found.

In New York State, short-eared owls are listed as endangered. Open grasslands that support populations of the small rodents that these owls hunt are essential for their survival and recovery. The Finger Lakes region, where this owl was found, is an area in NY where short-eared owls tend to concentrate in the winter. Now that it is fall again and migration is underway, we are hoping that this owl is on its way back home to the Finger Lakes!

Link to donate to Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Asio flammeusShort-eared OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/donut-startle-me-like-that/feed/ 0 Flight Test Fledgling https://owlsintowels.org/flight-test-fledgling/ https://owlsintowels.org/flight-test-fledgling/#respond Mon, 06 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4493 A young Long-Eared Owl - mistakable for a Jim Henson muppet - is wrapped in a pale slate-blue microfibre towel, above a grassy setting. Two hands hold the bundle of owl in the exact fashion someone might hold a burger between bites.

This little guy, a young Long-Eared Owl, was posted to r/owls by Reddit user bl00dspilled.

Original post – 30 May 2026

Backstory: While working at/near an airport, the poster was alerted to a young owl that had been found on the ground and placed in a cardboard box. They contacted local animal protection and transferred the owl to the tree containing the original nest.

Snapped from over-the-shoulder, the fledgling peers up at camera with orange eyes like undersized lifebuoys. Now pocketed inside the towel and flattened to the captor's chest - and continuing the food theme from before - he looks more like calzone than burger.

In the post they expressed concern the owl appeared to have fallen from the nest, and sought advice on what the owl might eat. Comments advised not to feed the owl, predicting that although unseen the parents were likely watching from nearby and able to bring food (takeaways, yum!). Comments also reassured the poster that this ground-dwelling behaviour was normal for fledglings while they learn to climb trees and practise flight.

The poster then followed up to say they had warned other airport users to leave any young owls alone, or place them on a branch for extra safety (since some workers would bring their dogs to the airport to roam the grass while they worked on the planes).

In this view the owl is cloaked in the towel. He sports feathers grey and brown, coated in a fine ashy-white fuzz typical of a fledgling. His chest feathers are matted and scraggly. His beak appears large, disproportionately so, but he will grow into it. His expression is vacant - he holds in his eyes not a hint of malice, wrath, nor bloodlust. Not yet. We will watch his career with great interest.

The original poster did all the right things: sought advice before intervening, and cautioned others on how best to ensure the owl’s well-being.

Stories like this are fairly common, i.e. well-meaning people contacting wildlife centres about owls on the ground, thinking the owls are injured when they’re actually fine. In this instance, given the presence of dogs, intervening helped mitigate risk to the owl, but in most cases leaving an owl alone is the best course of action. The International Owl Center has the following advice on fledglings:

Does the owl need help?

Not all owls on the ground need help. If it is a young owlet with a fuzzy head and body but has fully grown wing feathers and a stubby tail, it is a fledgling just learning to fly. Spending some time on the ground is a normal part of their life, since it takes them days to weeks to learn how to fly well, depending on the species. Mom and Dad are usually nearby taking care of them, whether you see them or not. Owlets at this stage only need help if they are injured or both parents have been killed. If the owlet is in a dangerous location, it can be picked up and moved to a safer location by nudging the back of its legs with a stick to get it to step up or by using leather gloves. Parents will not reject their young just because they were touched by humans. Fledgling owls can actually climb trees using their feet, beaks, and flapping their wings. They do this especially well when placed near a sloping tree trunk. Any adult owl on the ground that you can walk up to needs help.

With that in mind, note that some owls species shouldn’t be left on the ground. Barn Owl babies for example, are helpless out of the nest. This from the Barn Owl Trust:

It is not normal for young Barn Owls to be out of the nest before they can fly. Leaving them well alone is usually not the best thing to do […]
[Barn] Owlets that are too young to fly must be placed back in the nest.

So it really depends on the species (and your local area), but I think it’s safe to say that most fledgling birds on the ground are undergoing a normal and natural process of learning to leave the nest.

At the end of posts we usually post a link for donating to the associated wildlife organisation, but no clinic or location was included in the original Reddit post. So, in lieu of that info, I’m sure the International Owl Center (US) or Barn Owl Trust (UK) would gladly welcome your support:

Link to donate to The International Owl Center and link to donate to Barn Owl Trust for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Asio otusLong-eared OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/flight-test-fledgling/feed/ 0 Mending a Broken Wing https://owlsintowels.org/mending-a-broken-wing/ https://owlsintowels.org/mending-a-broken-wing/#respond Wed, 01 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4477 An orange-eyed owl wears a purple towel like a thick-collared winter coat. The rehabilitator behind wears a blue nylon tee and holds the rugby ball sized bundle of bird with fanned fingers that meet mid-torso, thumbs obscured. The owl rotates his head a touch, watching someone or something left of frame. His plumicorns are tall and V-shaped toward the beak, complemented by an angled brow that gives an expression of subdued rage.

Photo: ASHLEIGH PIENAAR

Original post – 15 Apr 2020
by Johannesburg Wildlife Vet

located in Johannesburg, South Africa 🇿🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

GORGEOUS PATIENT: This Cape eagle owl (Bubo capensis) was transferred to us from the Cluny Animal Trust. We discovered, upon examination, that the owl had an old fracture of the right tibiotarsus [the big ol’ leg bone below the femur]. This had healed on its own over time and he (by now identified as a male) had adapted to using the leg.

Sans towel, the owl is now shackled at the feet by the rehabber's clenched hand, and held in the other at a 45 degree angle, the way one might wield a cudgel or a tennis racket. Heretofore unseen is the injured wing, wrapped with cyan gauze and affixed with pink elastic plaster. Also on display is the owl's full plumage in shades of dark brown and mottled with patches of tan and white. The owl looks directly at the camera with eyes W-I-D-E. The rage from the previous photo is no longer subdued.

Photo: ASHLEIGH PIENAAR

The reason for his admission was in fact a right wrist fracture. The wing was strapped into the correct position. He had a few weeks of cage rest as well as physiotherapy to assist with healing. Once the fracture had healed, the owl was placed in a large flight enclosure to further strengthen the wing.
He was ringed and was successfully released back where he came from.

The original post is capped with the note:

We treat indigenous wildlife, free of charge, relying on the community for donations and support.

Link to donate to Johannesburg Wildlife Vet for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo capensisCape Eagle-OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/mending-a-broken-wing/feed/ 0 One Grouchy Boobook https://owlsintowels.org/one-grouchy-boobook/ https://owlsintowels.org/one-grouchy-boobook/#respond Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4472 *Image Transcription:* --- A grouchy looking Boobook is wrapped in a thick white towel, held by a rehabber wearing a stethoscope over teal scrubs. Her mossy olive green eyes (the owl, not the rehabber) are dilated and crossed, under a white-accented brow in the shape of an angry boomerang, amongst feathers that are otherwise brown and tan.

Photo: SCOTT POWICK

Original post – 06 Feb 2021
at Currumbin Wildlife Hospital (CWH)

located in Currumbin, Queensland, Australia 🇦🇺
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Overview:

A native Boobook Owl is administered medical treatment at Australia’s busiest native wildlife clinic.

The owl was pictured in a 2021 article by Gold Coast Bulletin, reporting CWH was struggling to source steady income while patient admissions surged. With over 14,000 annual wildlife admissions and $1.8 million AUD in operating costs, staff were using second-hand or broken equipment and struggling to turn on the lights.

Citing public investment as covering only 30% of costs, CWH managers sought to increase government partnerships at city, state and federal levels, while also proposing to levy property developers to offset costs. However, a spokesperson at Gold Coast City Council said that under existing law, developer charges could “only be used for trunk infrastructure and not distributed to third parties.”

CWH therefore relies heavily on community support, saying “we appreciate every dollar and couldn’t do what we do without the support we receive”.

Link to donate to Currumbin Wildlife Hospital for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox boobookAustralian BoobookWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/one-grouchy-boobook/feed/ 0 Sage Owl in a Sage Towel https://owlsintowels.org/sage-owl-in-a-sage-towel/ https://owlsintowels.org/sage-owl-in-a-sage-towel/#respond Sun, 21 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4452 A Barn Owl gazes at the camera with a pair of almond-shaped black eyes. The fine white feathers around his face have natural crevices, forming a V shape from the inside corner of each eye and converging at the tip of his pinkish-white beak. It's like a lowercase q and p were conjoined at the tail, and angling towards 11 and 1 o'clock. He appears wise, draped in a sage towel as if posing for a royal portrait.

Original post – 29 Sep 2023
by Boobook Wildlife Shelter

located in Heathmont, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺
Website (Facebook)

Original text:

Initial rescue 28 Sep 2023

Another seriously underweight Eastern Barn Owl. Willy, Barn Owl number 10 from Williamstown. Willy is up and standing this morning. He has made it through the night with supportive care. Fingers crossed for this lovely Owl. The first 48 hours is the critical time to see him pull through.

Follow-up post 29 Sep 2023

Update on Willy… He is now hydrated and eating solid food. Yay Willy….

For those wishing to donate, Boobook Wildlife Shelter accepts transfers to their bank account no. listed on their fb page.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Tyto javanicaEastern Barn OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/sage-owl-in-a-sage-towel/feed/ 0 Long Recovery Ahead https://owlsintowels.org/long-recovery-ahead/ https://owlsintowels.org/long-recovery-ahead/#respond Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4402 Yellow eyes peer out from a ball of grey fuzz: a Screech Owl, wrapped neatly in a plain white towel. The close-up makes the towel textures stand out as soft bristles cast in light and shadow, as it does the owl's feathers. The rehabilitator's thumb and forefinger hold the towel in a C-shape bottom left of frame.

Cute though this Screech Owl might be, the reason for admission is anything but. Some person – misguided, ignorant, or both – clipped the owl’s flight feathers, intending to keep the owl as a pet, senseless to the fact this is a wild animal unsuited to captivity. A crucial reminder that owls are not pets.

Birds of prey should not be kept in captivity unless for very specific circumstances such as rehabilitation, education, or research, and even then only in the care of trained experts. Owls require a very particular diet, professional care, as well as large volumes of space for flight.

Though details aren’t given in the original post, we can surmise what happened: the owl was illegally caught, and the prospective owner cut the owl’s feathers to prevent the owl flying. Then presumably, after discovering this species is loud and active at night, and requires a huge amount of work to keep, they gave up and abandoned the bird.

We are fortunate then, that the world has many caring and helpful people, some of whom rescued the owl and brought him to an expert wildlife clinic, Refugio de ‘Jason’, headed by Ileana Cotes (a.k.a The Owl Whisperer) in Panama.

Original post – 18 May 2026
by Owl Whisperer

located in Panama City, Panama 🇵🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

This Screech-Owl had the feathers of his wings cut, as well as his tail feathers, putting his life in serious danger. 😞

The owl's wing feathers are splayed out on a tabletop like a fan, showing how the feathers were clipped. It appears the primary wing feathers were cut by a third or more.

A raptor without his flight feathers and tail feathers is left extremely vulnerable: the bird cannot fly properly, maneuver, escape predators, or find food normally.

The Screech Owl is in the same position as the initial photo but now with head rotated in profile view, his beak gnawing at the towel containing him. The wall behind is hand-painted trees and wavy green leaves with forest-purple edges, on a background of white-azure.

Thankfully, the Screech Owl was rescued in time. Now, it begins a process of care, recovery, and patience until the feathers grow back and he can have a second chance.🙏🏻

Link to donate to Owl Whisperer for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Megascops asioEastern Screech OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/long-recovery-ahead/feed/ 0 Brancher Owls Renested https://owlsintowels.org/brancher-owls-renested/ https://owlsintowels.org/brancher-owls-renested/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4364 A Great Horned Owlet is contained in a vanilla pillow case. The case colour matches his/her fuzzy fledgling feathers, like frosted tips on plumage that is otherwise tan, brown and black. The setting is a forest floor: an orange climbing rope is coiled below with brown pine needles and leaf litter strewn about.

Original post – 12 May 2024
by Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre

located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada 🇨🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Rehabilitation is great but re-nesting is even better!! Thanks to observant rescuers, our skilled team, and a volunteer arborist, together we were able to re-nest two branching Great Horned Owls high up in the tree. Both young were found on the ground with evidence that their nest was destroyed. After a thorough check, and a few good meals at the Centre, they were ready to return home. From a far distance, we observed mom and dad excitedly welcoming them back within an hour of them returning to the tree!!

A second owlet appears. The pair of GHOWs are perched fore and aft on a branch in a brightly-lit enclosure. The owls' silhouettes blend with the off-white wooden trellis walls behind, making it hard to make out the horns for which the species is named (i.e. the tufts of feathers that ostensibly look like ears). The tufts are only short round nubbins at this early life stage. Any excuse to use the word nubbin, really.
Close up of one of the owlets, with pale yellow eyes and mouth agape trying to exclaim in owl-speak "back off strange bear!"
Shot from afar, one of the owlets is centre of frame, perched high in a pine tree.

🦉This is peak clumsy baby owl season. If you have found a young owl, please call BEFORE rescue if possible so we can assess re-nesting potential! 🦉

Link to donate to Ottawa Valley Wild Bird Care Centre for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/brancher-owls-renested/feed/ 0 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 Peaches the Masked Owl https://owlsintowels.org/peaches-the-masked-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/peaches-the-masked-owl/#respond Fri, 22 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4288
Video transcription

Peaches the owl is tucked inside a light lichen-green towel. Her face is barely visible; eyes are closed and recessed inside the wrap, but her heart-shaped facial disk is distinct, looking the colour and texture of yellow-white fibreglass insulation. Ziggy the wildlife handler is standing in frame cradling the bundle of owl in the crook of his arm like a newborn. The original video is backed by Randy Newman’s You’ve Got a Friend in Me.

Original post – 19 Apr 2026
by Raptor Refuge

located in Kettering, Tasmania, Australia 🇦🇺
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Initial post – 23 Mar 2026

We currently have a sick display bird at the Raptor Refuge and her name is Peaches. Peaches is a very old Tasmanian Masked Owl. She has a little friend to keep her company, Patch. Patch and Peaches have been together for around 10 years now, moving to different aviaries with each other. They’re best friends. For the time being she going to get midnight snacks (and hidden tablets inside them) until she gets better.

Peaches update – 19 April 2026

No two days at the refuge look the same. You never quite know what you’re walking into and honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way.
We were so grateful to have the team from @wildliferecoveryau visit recently. The work they do, and the support they bring, means more than we can say.
And Peaches, our beautiful Peach. She’s been with us for almost as long as the refuge has existed @ziggy_raptorrefuge grew up alongside her. At some point these birds stop being birds in your care and just become… family. Peaches has always been that.

She had a little infection, so it’s almost been three weeks since she’s been on her antibiotics.

Her recovery is going well and we’ll share a proper update soon. 🖤

Peaches update – 19 May 2026

She’s currently got a midday snack and she’s feeling much better. She’s a lot more active at night time. She’s walking around on the perches a lot more. The vet said all issues are gone, so I’m sure she’d be smiling now if she could.

… as always she is a joy to be around 🦅

Link to donate to Raptor Refuge for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Tyto novaehollandiaeAustralian Masked OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/peaches-the-masked-owl/feed/ 0 I Was Sprayed by a Skunk https://owlsintowels.org/i-was-sprayed-by-a-skunk/ https://owlsintowels.org/i-was-sprayed-by-a-skunk/#respond Sun, 17 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4270 A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a peach towel, the hood of which is seated behind his/her plumicorns; feather tufts that looks like ears and in this case are pointed up and a little matted. In addition to the towel, the owl wears an expression of malcontent, amplified by extra wide pupils and a steep angled brow. Unhand me human or my wrath will be swift.

Original post – 10 Nov 2017
by South Plains Wildlife Rehab

located in Lubbock, Texas, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

When you are about to get in the shower and the door bell rings! The Great-horned owl was sprayed by a skunk and had multiple baths. He was blind from the skunk spray. Fortunately on November 16th he was released. A DPS [Department of Public Safety] trooper from Sonora drove the owl to Lubbock when he found him on the side of the road.

Link to donate to South Plains Wildlife Rehab for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/i-was-sprayed-by-a-skunk/feed/ 0 Young Collared Scops Owl https://owlsintowels.org/young-collared-scops-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/young-collared-scops-owl/#respond Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4250 A young Collared Scops Owl is wrapped in a vanilla towel. She has large black eyes like a pair of obsidian walnuts.

Original post – 11 May 2015
by Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand

located in Phetchaburi, Thailand 🇹🇭
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This little extra terrestrial is a Collared Scops Owl at Wildlife Friends, located south of Bangkok, at the north end of the Thai Peninsula.

A close up of our friend, with a cut of pinkish white meat in her beak. We get more detail of her black eyes reflecting the ceiling lights, her pink-lined eyelids, and her feathers in shades of black brown and white, with no easily discernible pattern except a hint of concentric stripes.
The rehabilitator holds the bundle of owl in towel steady with their left hand, while their right emerges from bottom frame to deliver a morsel of meat to the young owl.

We don’t have intake info on the patient but we know they’re exceptionally cute.

The E.T. owl is cloaked in the towel, still, and has her feet raised with talons ready to slice and/or puncture any who dare get close. She has a tiny chunk of food remaining on the tip of her beak.

Congrats to WFFT for their recent 25 year anniversary.

Link to donate to Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Otus lettiaCollared Scops OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/young-collared-scops-owl/feed/ 0 Lousy Feather Condition https://owlsintowels.org/lousy-feather-condition/ https://owlsintowels.org/lousy-feather-condition/#respond Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4243 A Spotted Eagle Owl is wrapped in a plain cornflower blue towel. His flattened "ear" tufts and an ovoid shape gives him the silhouette of a rugby ball with a tricorne. And with mouth open, tongue raised and head tilted slightly back, his expression could easily be associated with laughter, but if we're being honest, that should be prepended by "mans". Either way the rehabber is about to bear the brunt of it.

Original post – 05 Mar 2026
by African Raptor Centre

located in Ilanga, South Africa 🇿🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

We see a lot of spotted eagle owls coming through Raptor Rescue Rehabilitation Centre, but occasionally one shows up that is fairly unusual. This spottie has extreme feather damage on one wing! We can’t be sure of exactly what happened, but prolonged heavy rain and repeated wet–dry cycles can cause feather vanes to lose their structural integrity. Once the microscopic barbules fail to interlock, the feathers begin to fray and split. For an owl, whose survival depends on silent, efficient flight, this is devastating. Reduced lift and increased noise compromise hunting success, leading to rapid loss of condition.

Extensive damage to the owl's wing

Compounding the problem, this owl was heavily burdened with bird lice. While lice are common in wild birds, heavy infestations further weaken feather structure and worsen deterioration. The infestation has now been treated.

The shafts of the feathers remain intact, but the vane damage is severe enough to prevent effective flight. This owl will remain in rehabilitation until it undergoes moult and completes new feather growth, restoring proper function.

Thanks to Rene from Assagay this bird has a second chance!

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo africanusSpotted Eagle-OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/lousy-feather-condition/feed/ 0 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 Screech Owl at Sweetbriar https://owlsintowels.org/screech-owl-at-sweetbriar/ https://owlsintowels.org/screech-owl-at-sweetbriar/#respond Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4175
Video transcription

A red-morph Eastern Screech Owl is wrapped in a white and tan striped towel. He has pale golden-green eyes and little ginger triangle-shaped ‘ear’ tufts. If it weren’t for his beak, you’d be forgiven for thinking he were a cat. In this short 3 second clip he lets out a solitary owlp. An owlp is shorthand for owl yelp. Obviously. An apple juice pouch lies flat on the steel countertop behind. A printer whirrs in the background. This has nothing to do with the owl, but it helps with the immersion.

Original post – 03 Mar 2026
by Sweetbriar Wildlife Rehab

located in Smithtown, New York, US
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Volume on-Someone’s not happy to be here. This little eastern screech owl was hit by a car and rescued by Strong Animal Wildlife Rescue league before being brought to our hospital for evaluation. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to gain lift when he tried to fly. He’ll be staying with us for a few weeks while he recovers from his injuries.

We’re hopeful his lady friend will be waiting for him. Before long, they should be preparing to start their owl family.

Eastern Screech-Owl form stable pairs—usually one male with one female, though occasionally one male may pair with two females. Most pairs are monogamous and remain together for life. In some cases, a second female may evict the first, lay her own eggs in the nest, and incubate both clutches.

But, for now, he’s grounded—with a little rest, care, and time, [we] know he’ll be back to cozy tree-top snuggles very soon.

Link to donate to Sweetbriar Wildlife Rehab for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Megascops asioEastern Screech OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/screech-owl-at-sweetbriar/feed/ 0 Long-Eared in Switzerland https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-in-switzerland/ https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-in-switzerland/#respond Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4127 A pair of lava-lamp orange eyes are the highlight of this Long-eared Owl's face, brighter in tone than the coral orange towel in which he is wrapped. The namesake 'ears' of his species are rabbit-like, curving outwards, but lacking fur and cartilage; they are feathers after all. His real ears are at eye-level, obscured by feathers (and cotton). His beak and eyes are open: slightly and very, respectively. A complete look of indignation.
Rehabilitators at Erminea treat a Long-eared Owl with a dislocated coracoid, posting that they’re doing everything they can to get him back on his feet.


Original post – 28 May 2024
by Centre Erminea

located in Chavornay, Switzerland 🇨🇭
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text in (Swiss) French:

🦉 Un autre rapace est arrivé dans notre centre. Cette fois, il s’agit du hibou moyen-duc (Asio otus)🦉.
Il présente une luxation du coracoïde. Il ne peut plus s’envoler, et ne tient pas debout.
🩺 Nous mettons tout en œuvre pour le soigner et le remettre sur patte.

☝ Faisant parti intégrante de l’équilibre des écosystèmes de nos forêts et zones agricoles il est primordial de le conserver. Il régule l’effectif des campagnols de nos champs, étant sa source de nourriture principale.
🌒 Essentiellement nocturne vous ne l’observerez que rarement en journée.

🤓 Nota bene: il a été doté d’une morphologie exceptionnelle pour le rendre silencieux en plein vol ! Il présente sur les bords de ses ailes des sortes de “peignes” composés de barbules (crochets entre plumes) qui réduisent considérablement les sifflements lors de la pénétration dans l’air.

👻 Voila pourquoi c’est un peu le fantôme de nos forêts.
Soutenons cet incroyable rapace !🦉
📖 Référence : Lionel Maumary & co, Le livre des oiseaux

English Translation (via DeepL):

🦉 Another bird of prey has arrived at our centre. This time, it is a long-eared owl (Asio otus)🦉.
It has a dislocated coracoid. It can no longer fly and cannot stand up.
🩺 We are doing everything we can to treat it and get it back on its feet.

☝As it plays a vital role in maintaining the balance of our forest and agricultural ecosystems, it is essential that we protect it. It helps control the vole population in our fields, as voles are its main source of food.
🌒 Being primarily nocturnal, you will rarely spot it during the day.

🤓 Note: it has been blessed with an exceptional anatomy that makes it virtually silent in flight! The edges of its wings feature a sort of ‘comb’ made up of barbs (hooks between the feathers) that significantly reduce the whistling sound as it cuts through the air.

👻 That’s why it’s a bit like the ghost of our forests.
Let’s support this incredible bird of prey!🦉
📖 Reference: Lionel Maumary & co, The Book of Birds

Link to donate to Erminea for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Asio otusLong-eared OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-in-switzerland/feed/ 0 Staring Contest with Boobook https://owlsintowels.org/staring-contest-with-boobook/ https://owlsintowels.org/staring-contest-with-boobook/#respond Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4091 A brown-feathered Boobook stares intensely at Josh the wildlife rehabilitator from inside a cyan-towel wrap. Josh holds the burritowl in one hand while [out of frame] administering chicken hearts from a pair of forceps in the other. The owl's green eyes glow nicely the indoor lighting, though he does not look particularly glowing in temperament. Yet happy enough to chow down before being set free to the night 🌙

Original post – 22 Feb 2026
by On Ya! Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation
(a.k.a. Josh Neille)
(a.k.a. The Wombat Guy)

located in Gippsland, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Here we are legends with one of my favourite little nocturnal birds, the tiny but mighty Boobook owl 🦉 One of the smallest owls we get around here, but don’t let the size fool you… what they lack in bulk they make up for in power and needle-sharp gear 😅

I swear the eyes of an owl hit different. They don’t just look at you… they stare straight through your soul like they know every bad decision you’ve ever made 👀 Constant silent judgement. That’s exactly why I wrapped this little bloke up like a tiny owl burrito 🌯 Just to break the tension… and also to protect my fingers from those razor-sharp talons.

This little guy came in via the vets after being found on the road following some road trauma. No wing damage thankfully, just a rough day and a bit stunned. After some food, electrolytes, and specialised fluids, he was looking bright enough to give the wild another crack 💪

We had a bit of bonding time out in the shed, a few intense staring contests, built a bit of trust… then it was time to go. I didn’t want to keep him in care longer than necessary because Boobooks can stress pretty easily.

Release went perfectly. Straight back into the night where he belongs 🌙 Another successful mission.

Only ones not impressed were my two hand-raised ringtail possums out the back 😬 Birds of prey in their postcode always causes a bit of drama… but that’s nature. These little owls would happily snack on possums or gliders in the wild, so everyone’s gotta stay sharp out there.

Such incredible little critters. Tiny, fierce, full of attitude, and eyes that could interrogate a suspect without saying a word 🦉
Onya legends 💛

Link to donate to On Ya! Wildlife Rescue and Rehabilitation for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox boobookAustralian BoobookWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/staring-contest-with-boobook/feed/ 0 Messy-Faced Screech Owl https://owlsintowels.org/messy-faced-screech-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/messy-faced-screech-owl/#respond Sun, 19 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4043 A gray-morph Eastern Screech Owl has eyes like golden kiwifruit. Her feathers fuzzily fluctuate between shades of ashy white and black granite. She's wrapped in a white towel, or, it would be white if not for the spillage of contents from her most recent meal; a mess of mouse juice soaking across her beak, chin bristles, and towel. Culinary etiquette aside, she's cute as a button.

Original post – 31 May 2025
by Red Wolf Sanctuary

located in Rising Sun, Indiana, US
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

I don’t have a name because I plan on being released. I feel not so great right now. This towel is warm. I was just fed. My face is still messy. Red Wolf is taking great care of me. I’m gonna take a nap now.

Link to donate to Red Wolf Sanctuary for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Megascops asioEastern Screech OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/messy-faced-screech-owl/feed/ 0 Three Surgeries Later https://owlsintowels.org/three-surgeries-later/ https://owlsintowels.org/three-surgeries-later/#respond Wed, 15 Apr 2026 12:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=3885 A bright-eyed BUOW, or Burrowing Owl if you're not into the whole brevity thing, is wrapped in a baby blue fabric, held in the thick-gloved hand of a rehabilitator. The owl's eyes are lemon yellow, and his/her plumage is white across the eyebrows and chin, and tan to dark brown everywhere else, featuring light speckles across the forehead. The wrap forms a high upturned collar like Dracula. Dracowla? Draculowl? We'll keep working on that.

Original post – 19 Nov 2020
by Ojai Raptor Center

located in Oak View, California, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Burrowing Owls are listed as a species of special concern in California and endangered in other parts of their range. Their decline is mostly due to loss of habitat but pesticides (both insecticides and rodenticides) are also to blame. The use of these poisons not only decimate a large portion of insects that these owls rely on for food, but rodenticides also reduce the number of natural excavators that create the ground burrows they nest in, like ground squirrels.

Burrowing Owls are known as partial migrants here in California and will move about the State to their breeding grounds where they nest in colonies. ORC typically receives just a few Burrowing Owl patients a year during these migrations, but some years we’ve received only one or none at all. We have seen an increase of annual intakes over the past 3 years and this Fall we’ve received 4 since September! While sadly not all of them made it, we hope this is a good sign for the species as conservation efforts are underway.

The patient pictured has undergone 3 surgeries to repair extensive damage to the soft tissue of the left wing after the owl was entangled in barbed wire. Luckily his/her prognosis is looking good for recovery and release!


Patient Update: Burrowing Owl vs. Barbs

This Burrowing Owl (BUOW) that was admitted for barbed wire injuries is now all healed up after weeks of treatment!


Link to donate to Ojai Raptor Center for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Athene cuniculariaBurrowing OwlWiki link
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