Feisty Northern Hawk Owl

A Northern Hawk Owl wears a watermelon pink towel and a stern expression. His head is wide and oblate, sporting pale beeswax yellow eyes that match his beak, and feathers in shades of lunar rock and obsidian. His face is punctuated with black markings in the shape of harps - curved around the eyes, rising to peaks at the temples, and flanked by thick pillars where the sideburns should be. The rehabber holds him in a purple glove.

Original post – 30 Oct 2024
by Bird TLC

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located in Anchorage, Alaska, US

Initial Admission

Meet our most recent patient – a Northern Hawk Owl. Rehab staff describes him as “discombobulated” but still feisty and wanting nothing to do with these creatures who are trying to help him. That’s OK – we’re used to it.

Have you ever wondered why this bird is called a “Hawk Owl?” While it looks like an owl, it behaves like a hawk – perching on solitary trees and hunting by daylight.

Update 01 Nov 2024

🔊 Our Northern Hawk Owl has been very talkative so we wanted to share his vocalizations with you-it’s not often you get to hear this owl in the wild. Let us know if this is the sound you expected to hear from a Hawk Owl!

Update 08 Nov 2024

Good news on our Northern Hawk Owl patient! His recovery is progressing well – he’s eating on his own and flying around the indoor flight pen. We’re hopeful that his return to the wild will be coming up soon!

Update 12 Nov 2024
(if you’re going to watch any video, make sure it’s this one)

Video transcription

The Hawk Owl is held to the chest of a rehabber, cloaked in a pink towel. He nibbles vigorously at whatever his beak can reach – he cranes and shakes his head to gnaw at the edge of the breast pocket, followed by a long-drawn and concerted battle with the towel. Between bouts he considers the gloved fingers, and briefly glances at the camera to show he means business.

Spunky and feisty-just what we like to see! Wish we could tell our Northern Hawk Owl his release back to wild is looking more certain.

Update 14 Nov 2024

“That’s a good sign that he hates us.”
Dr. Karen, assisted by Nikki, examined our Northern Hawk Owl patient to determine if he is ready to return to the wild. The verdict? “He looks great.” Stay tuned!

Final Update 16 Nov 2024

And just like that, our Northern Hawk Owl returns to the wild. Let’s all wish him a good life.

Link to donate to Bird TLC for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Surnia ululaNorthern Hawk-OwlWiki link

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