Rescued from Barbed Wire

A Great Horned Owl is cloaked and hooded in a pink red towel with frayed-edges. One plumicorn is covered by the hood and the other is half-raised, askew, and partially obstructed by the towel. Eyes are yellow with a tinge of green, like the skin of an unripe mango, under the awning of a thin white brow in the shape of two tilde '~~' characters placed back-to-back. A rehabilitator restrains the owl with a thick glove. The owl expresses an ill temper, aimed squarely at camera.

Original post – 17 May 2026
by Blackland Prairie Raptor Center

located in Lucas, Texas, US 🇺🇸
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Original text:

This Great Horned Owl (Patient 26-0163) came to our raptor center after being trapped in barbed wire. The owl was lethargic, likely from exerting energy to try and free itself. Our raptor clinic staff removed barbed wire from the owl’s right wing. We cleaned around the wound with diluted chlorhexidine, flushed with sterile saline, applied hydroactive gel to wrist and elbow, applied tefla and tegaderm bandages. Fluids were given to rehydrate the owl. It was then placed in our intensive care unit. The following day, the clinic staff took an ever closer look at the wounds. The right wing had significant swelling over radius/ulna, 1 cm laceration in the proximal ulna, bruising over humerus, patagium severed, abrasion and bruising/swelling over metacarpals. The left wing had a 1 cm laceration in the proximal ulna. Same routing — wounds were cleaned, medications applied, bandages put on. A few more days…and the severed patagium is starting to contract and some bruising is resolving. The clinic staff will continue this process of monitoring the wounds, medicating, and wrapping with bandages during the healing process.

Same photo as before, except now a band of long pink fibres from the towel is flopped across one eye of the owl, while the other eye is semi-depressed by the hood. The result is "Dreamworks Face", as best described by TVTropes: "You know that face. The clever, asymmetrical smirk. The similarly crooked eyebrows. The intense stare-down that comes at you from the promotional movie posters - especially for CG family films. It's the expression that tells you the hero is going to be up to no good, and is much cooler than any of those classic, mainstream, conformist wimps those *other* studios produce."
From a little further back, this photo gives a wider view of the clinical setting. The owl is supine on a stainless steel exam table. The hood of the pink-red towel fully covers the owl's head (to reduce stress) and a second towel is laid flat for cushioning. One worker holds the owl's ankles to prevent those powerful black talons from tearing holes in equipment, people. A second pair of blurple-gloved hands hold the owl's wing and treat injuries with a cotton swab.

Link to donate to Blackland Prairie Raptor Center for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link

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