Owltober – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:29:48 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1.2 https://owlsintowels.org/content/media/tBNh7to.png Owltober – Owls in Towels https://owlsintowels.org/ 32 32 El Búhorrito https://owlsintowels.org/el-buhorrito/ https://owlsintowels.org/el-buhorrito/#respond Sat, 03 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4821 Coda the Owl is wrapped in a plain white hand towel. Owing (mostly) to the wrap, he is oval shaped and nearly a borb (where borb = bird orb). He's much like the Owls in Towels logo but with desaturated plumage and cat-like ear tufts. His feather are the "gray-morph" variant of Eastern Screech Owls, peppered and bridled with black texturing that looks like granite rocks or tree bark. He has short ashy-white rictal bristles and longer black "whisker" feathers about his long and thin pale beak that hooks over the towel edge. A handler has him in their palms the way one might hold a new-born. He has anime-eyes: a pair of slate-grey peepers looking up at the humans with an expression of innocence and trust.

4th of Owltober!

Original post – 22 Aug 2025
by BeWild Reptile Rescue

located in Durham, North Carolina, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

This is Coda the Eastern Screech Owl, an educational / ambassador owl, pictured shortly before getting his beak trimmed with the help of summer interns. BeWild posted a note of thanks to the interns for their months of work, adding:

We spent a day working with Coda the screech owl, which included a physical exam, new anklets and jesses*, and a beak trim. We know they will do great things!

*Jesses = thin leather straps that allow BeWild to take the owls out safely for public education.

Coda was initially transferred to the BeWild facility in Nov 2022, noted then as “feisty and strong”, joining Sonata, another gray-morph Eastern Screech Owl for ambassadorial work.

In another post BeWild explained:

Coda was injured in the wild and has a radius/ulna malunion on his right wing. While he can’t fly very well, he can hop a few feet and uses a ladder to get up to his higher perches!

Link to donate to BeWild Reptile Rescue for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Megascops asioEastern Screech OwlWiki link

P.S. This is Coda’s 2nd appearance with Owls in Towels – his first is here.

]]> https://owlsintowels.org/el-buhorrito/feed/ 0 Boobook Spooked by Magpies https://owlsintowels.org/boobook-spooked-by-magpies/ https://owlsintowels.org/boobook-spooked-by-magpies/#respond Fri, 02 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4813 A Boobook looks positively terrified... mortified... petrified... stupefied. Which is fair dinkum for any Magpie victim, but then again, it may just be RBF (Resting Boobook Face). Regardless, this owl has a shocked expression and mismatched pupils, with a pair of wide eyes the hue of a dark forest floor, or a kiwifruit that's gone a bit soft past its prime. She's wrapped in a blue tea towel which, along with her brown plumage, collects wayward strands of grass and leaf litter. Her feathers are the same tone as Chewbacca's fur, though not quite as long. In a word: Boobookiee.

3rd of Owltober!

October is Spring for Australians and on this side of the Equinox (and Tropic of Capricorn) the days are getting noticeably longer, lighter and warmer: a time for planting pumpkins rather than harvesting them. And yet, it is still very much a scary season, for Australia is home to arguably one of the most frightening creatures on the planet: the Australian Magpie.

Indeed, it’s nesting season for Magpies, and these guys (and it’s almost always the guys) will guard their territory like it’s the last tub of Vegemite during a global shortage. For a few weeks of the year, a small but aggressive contingent will dive at anything they see as a threat. Reports of Magpies swooping at cyclists is common – there’s a whole website for registering attacks at magpiealert.com so you can plan your commute around these fierce protectors.

Owls, as it turns out, are not immune to the beaks and claws of Magpies. The Australian Boobook pictured above was a wildlife patient at South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter after an attack from a Magpie mob. Not much more info is in the original post, but it’s a good reminder for Australians to pack their safety sunglasses and wide brim hats when heading into the suburban wilderness. And also not to blame the Magpies, they’re just following their nature, and trying to raise their young in a challenging environment.

Take care Aussie creatures, be you feathered or not.

Original post – 18 Apr 2024
by South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter (SOWS)

located in South Oakleigh, Victoria, Australia 🇦🇺
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Link to donate to SOWS for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox boobookAustralian BoobookWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/boobook-spooked-by-magpies/feed/ 0 Pygmy Owl Gets Wing Surgery https://owlsintowels.org/pygmy-owl-gets-wing-surgery/ https://owlsintowels.org/pygmy-owl-gets-wing-surgery/#respond Thu, 01 Oct 2026 23:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4782 Lurking in the folds of a soft blue towel is a Northern Pygmy Owl. One eye is covered by the towel's herringbone stitch; the other peers out at the clinic and its occupants with a level of distrust appropriate for a wild animal. A deep blue bandage is located at the owl's shoulders, reminiscent of a heart-shaped diamond. It's worth noting the photo is rotated - the original has the owl upon a corkboard surface, lying on his/her side like Rose Dawson, but with more clothes. This is a reference to a nude scene in Titanic (1997) played by seven-time Oscar nominee Kate Wins-owlet.

2nd of Owltober!

It’s ten years to the day that this lil guy, a Northern Pygmy Owl, had surgery for a broken wing.

Original post – 02 Oct 2016
by Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah

located in Ogden, Utah, US 🇺🇸
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

As we’ve said before, Wildlife Rehabilitation is not cheap and “it takes a village” to make this work; support from individuals just like you.

This Northern Pigmy-Owl (the smallest owl in Utah) came to WRCNU two weeks ago with a broken wing. Here we share photos of his visit to Parrish Creek Veterinary Clinic to repair his injury.

This image has 3 horizontal panels: Panel one shows the patient (same owl + same towel) receiving anaesthesia gas via a transparent cone-shaped mask with a tube out the top. Text to the right reads "naptime". Panel two is an x-ray of the owl's wing with an arrow pointing to the biggest bone. Text in red says "break in right wing humerus" but I don't think it's very funny. Panel three shows the operation. The vet surgeon wears white medical gloves and wields metallic tools aimed at a hole in a plastic sheet covering the patient. A text block reads "not for the squeamish!" and occludes the grisly details.

This single surgical visit ran just shy of $1,000 and thankfully Parrish Creek gives us a discount due to our nonprofit work with wildlife, but even with that this itsy bitsy bird cost WRCNU almost $500 so far—not including his, hopefully, final visit and pin removal next week).

Twin vertical panels show similar profiles of the Pygmy Owl held aloft for the camera. The owl is a scaled-down rugby ball in shape, and has dark royal-green gauze wrapping the wing injury. The owl's feathers are muted brown with lighter tan-to-cream streaks on the face and flecks on the forehead and chest. These flecks are like tiny trees, or symbols in a map legend for wetlands ( 𐠮 𐠮 𐠮 ). At bottom of frame the owl's feet are lightly pinched about the ankle by human fingers. Bunches of pale yellow appendages also known as "toes" emerge from said feet, looking like aglet-sized bananas with the world's tiniest scythe blades attached. The owl's face says, "Don't make me use them."

We’ve taken in almost 2,300 animals so far this year (3 months still to go) and so you might be able to imagine the bills we have to pay to give these amazing animals a second chance in an increasingly “humanized world”.

Enjoy the photos and please consider helping our mission of REHABILITATION, EDUCATION, and RELEASE!
Thank You! ❤

Link to donate to WRCNU for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Glaucidium californicumNorthern Pygmy OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/pygmy-owl-gets-wing-surgery/feed/ 0 Big Recovery for Great Horned https://owlsintowels.org/big-recovery-for-great-horned/ https://owlsintowels.org/big-recovery-for-great-horned/#respond Wed, 30 Sep 2026 23:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=4773 Draped in a vanilla towel before a wall of wood panels painted mossy sage, a Great Horned Owl stares at camera with wide yellow eyes. The owl's chest plumage is tabby-patterned and calico-toned in shades of black white and ginger. The ear-like tufts for which the species is named are raised at 11 and 1 o'clock. They're mostly black, with tan highlights along the inside track, giving the impression of Unicode character U+223 (ȣ) much like the symbol for Taurus the bull. The owl expresses a photogenic sort of anger, and like a bull, looks ready to impale any who come near.

1st of Owltober!

Original post – 02 Nov 2025
by Shades of Hope Wildlife

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

Original text:

GREAT HORNED OWL

This patient arrived a few weeks ago showing critical signs of head trauma. With blood in his mouth and an overall lethargy, our team provided emergency care and placed him on medical watch.

It is now 4 weeks later and we are happy to see a great improvement. He is looking bright again and we are hopeful that he will make a full recovery.

Link to donate to Shades of Hope Wildlife for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/big-recovery-for-great-horned/feed/ 0 Happy Owloween! https://owlsintowels.org/happy-owloween/ https://owlsintowels.org/happy-owloween/#respond Fri, 31 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2404 It’s the 31st of Owltober and we’ve saved one of the best for last: A Ruru Owl looking especially bedraggled after a bath (for a skin condition). Having spent a few hours under the blow dryer, the before and after pics are night and day…

A Ruru Owl is thoroughly bedraggled, wrapped in a blue towel after a bath. His cat-like eyes are fixed on the camera, wide and yellow. Feathers around the chest are matted and parted to expose skin that looks like, well... uncooked chicken breast. Green plastic boxes appear on a concrete slab behind.

Original post – 31 Mar 2021
by Wildbase Recovery

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

in coordination with Wildbase Hospital:

located in Palmerston North, New Zealand 🇳🇿
Website | Facebook

Original text:

Wet Wednesday all round for us in Palmerston North!!🤣

This morepork is with us for rehabilitation but we found it had scurfy/flaky skin. A sticky tape sample revealed a lot of cocci (bacteria), so today this ruru had a bubble bath (which he was NOT pleased about😅).

A full body shot of the wet owl, sans towel. His Sid Vicious plumage is blackened by the wetness, and some barbs are stuck to the the feather shafts, creating gaps in the wings that look like see-through ribs. The photo really is something: imagine a yellow-eyed Koosh ball on a swivel, sticking out from a tarred turkey carcass. A truly bizarre and sorry-looking creature, but if it's any assurance the owl is fine. His legs are bowed with tan-feathered toes splayed out below. He stands upon a white net inside a green plastic box, with wooden perches around the edge.
Another angle of this Cronenbergian horror with Disney eyes. The owl's leg stance is sturdier, and if you ignore the whole looking-like-a-drowned-abomination thing, he's far more photogenic and you know what? Kinda badass. Like a character-select screen in an RPG. What's interesting is we don't often see the shape of an owl's neck, because the head feathers typically merge into the shoulder like a lumpy snowman. But here, with all the feathers matted and shrink-wrapped to the owl's bone structure, he appears almost humanoid.

We washed him with Chlorhexidine to deal to the bacteria, then rinsed clean. This is a similar technique we use for oiled birds and have the set up to do it.

After a few hours under the blow dryers he is looking spiffy and ready to try out his clean feathers and skin back in our rehab aviaries at Wildbase Recovery with the hopes of releasing soon🤞

Link to donate to Wildbase Recovery for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox novaeseelandiaeMoreporkWiki link


P.S. We have a calendar for the 31 days of Owltober!

]]> https://owlsintowels.org/happy-owloween/feed/ 0 Barred Caught Off-Guard https://owlsintowels.org/barred-caught-off-guard/ https://owlsintowels.org/barred-caught-off-guard/#respond Thu, 30 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2401 Barred Owl in the interior of a vehicle, wrapped in a slate blue towel. His head is tilted slightly to the left, and his deep black-brown eyes appear (whether objectively true or not) trusting of the photographer. His feathers are duotone: brown and a slightly different shade of brown. He's got an apple-shaped facial disc, and long whiskers surrounding a yellow beak the colour of hard cheese.

30th of Owltober!

A car-hit Barred Owl was admitted to Acadiana Wildlife, and soon had an owl buddy to recover with. According to Acadiana “they are both about to get a baby to foster until they are ready to release.”

Original post – 31 Mar 2024
by Acadiana Wildlife Education and Rehabilitation, Inc.
located in Youngsville, Louisiana
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Link to donate to Acadiana Wildlife for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Strix variaBarred OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/barred-caught-off-guard/feed/ 0 Close Call Collision https://owlsintowels.org/close-call-collision/ https://owlsintowels.org/close-call-collision/#respond Wed, 29 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2381 A Northern Pygmy Owl with brown and cream feathers is wrapped in a white towel, held by a pair of blue gloves the way someone might hold a mug of coffee on a winter's day. The owl's expression is comical, in part thanks to: a) feather markings that look like raised eyebrows; b) an open mouth that practically says "I am surprised"; and c) the owl's whole face in a state of recoil, looking down his beak at the camera. The background is out of focus and indistinct—dark blue with some bokeh shapes. From the original post we can see it is the torso of the rehabber with a clip-on walkie-talkie, blue undershirt, and white text displaying workplace details.

29th of Owltober!

Original post – 19 Jan 2025
by Dove Lewis
located in Portland, Oregon
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

It’s a bird, it’s a plane… Oh, it’s just a tiny adorable pygmy owl! 😲🦉

This little guy had a close call with a car window but is feeling much better after a quick check-up from our team! Thanks to a kind-hearted Good Samaritan who brought him in, he got the care he needed—no injuries, just a bit dazed from his wild ride!

A more dignified photo of our friend, eyes yellow and dilated. He has large *nares* (the bird equivalent of nostrils), which look like a second pair of eyes. The owl is spotted all over, light cream on brown plumage. A second rehabber stands in the background, out of focus in a maroon shirt.
A mid-shot of the Pygmy Owl in profile, perched on the towel with legs secured by the first rehabilitator. Medical items and a computer display are to the back. There's a slight rip in the thumb of the blue glove, and while we can only speculate what caused this, it is noteworthy the puncture is within pecking distance of the owl. From this side angle we see the owl's top beak is curved downwards, and overhangs the lower in a sharp hook. The owl has a stretched oval shaped body, like a feathery gherkin with a tail. The white towel, as it turns out (literally), is printed on one side in a patchwork of black text with various thicknesses and styles. Being bottom-side up however, most of it obscured save the folded-over edge where `SING` and `JOY` are legible words. Elsewhere, `FRIEND`, and `IMAGINE` or `IMAGINATION` are other contenders.

Because of you, this tiny owl is back on his feet (or talons)! Your support of our Wildlife Program makes care like this possible for wildlife in need. ♥️

Link to donate to Dove Lewis for those willing and able.

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Glaucidium californicumNorthern Pygmy OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/close-call-collision/feed/ 0 Tawny Twosome https://owlsintowels.org/tawny-twosome/ https://owlsintowels.org/tawny-twosome/#respond Tue, 28 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2376 A Tawny Owlet is wrapped in a dark blue towel. He looks like a little extra-terrestrial 👽 with ghostly grey-white feathers typical of owl chicks, and a pair of black marbles peering out from a kiwifruit-shaped head. Some feathers are a little matted and stuck together following a bath (hence the towel).

28th of Owltober!

Original post – 11 Jun 2020
by Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
located in Stonham Aspal, UK
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

Recently, two tiny tawny chicks have come into our care here at Suffolk Owl Sanctuary.

The first was found in a compost heap in a very sorry state, emaciated, covered in fly eggs and weak – things did not look promising at all.

The condition of this chick would suggest that it had sustained a long period without food. Sometimes if parents are unable to support their chicks, they will sadly abandon the nest and the chicks will exit out of desperation. This can also happen if one adult is left at the nest site after losing its mate, who would usually help to provide food.

Luckily this little one was found just in time. He spent a few nights under the watchful eye of experienced SOS falconer, Jess, who bathed him and carefully picked eggs. Thankfully the chick has since started to take tiny bits of food soaked in a support fluid, and is slowly gaining weight.

The second chick was found in a rather unfortunate predicament – upside down in a bramble bush! The surrounding area was considered a danger to this little one, so it was also brought in to SOS to build strength and recover in safety.

Another view of the Tawny Owlet, no longer wrapped but rather perched atop a towel, this time plain white. He looks like a squashed snowman here: a kiwifruit-shaped head on top of a slightly larger kiwifruit-shaped body, with a spread of talons poking out from beneath the fluff.
Two Tawnies side-by-side atop a pale pink-purple towel. T1 is prostrate, beak to the floor and eyes barely open. T2 is more alert, showing two wide-open black eyes that look like they've been tacked on to a rugby ball of fluff. He looks like a child's imagining of an owl.

Luckily for our first chick, he now has another clutch mate to recover with! This will also mean that both of them can now be hacked together in a purpose built release aviary.

Link to donate to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Strix alucoTawny OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/tawny-twosome/feed/ 0 Untangled from Net https://owlsintowels.org/untangled-from-net/ https://owlsintowels.org/untangled-from-net/#respond Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2372 A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a pale lichen-green towel in the arms of a rehabilitator. One ear tuft is free, the other concealed by the towel around the head, worn like a shawl. Showl? He is kept stable top and bottom with thick mustard-yellow gloves. His eyes are fixed on the camera with intense yellow eyes that say "Choose your next action wisely human. Invoke my wrath and it will be your last". A mop handle stands in the background before wall panels of stainless steel.

27th of Owltober!

Original post – 05 Jun 2025
by Jackson County Animal Shelter
located in Jackson, Michigan
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

He was tangled in netting. We cut his talons free and made sure there was no more strings/strands left wrapped around his legs or in between his talons to cut off circulation.
He was then returned to where he was found. Here is the picture of him taking flight after his short visit to JCAS.

Link to donate to Jackson County Animal Shelter for those willing and able.

Photographed immediately after release, the owl flies low to the ground with wings outstretched above a stony pavement. The camera looks down at 45 degrees from above, so we catch a full "plan" view of the owl's back and wings, slightly camouflaged against the pebbled surface, as he flies toward a grassy area beyond. Go well friend.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/untangled-from-net/feed/ 0 Short Eared Burrito https://owlsintowels.org/short-eared-burrito/ https://owlsintowels.org/short-eared-burrito/#respond Sun, 26 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2364 A Short Eared Owl is in a tight burrito made from a plain white towel, held by a rehabilitator with blue medical gloves. Clinical equipment is laid out in the background, including scales and a feeding syringe. The owl's yellow eyes and black beak poke out above the edge of the wrap to face the camera. His features are compressed a little by the wrap, giving the outline of his head of a Goomba-like shape. His dark brown plumage looks like thick hair rather than feathers and it's reasonable to say he could be mistaken for Chewbacca the Wookiee, which raises a lot of portmanteau potential. Chewbagoomba? Goombacca? Woombie?

26th of Owltober!

A Pueo, also known as a Hawaiian Short-Eared Owl is wrapped up in a towel for his morning treatment at Hawai‘i Wildlife Center.

Original post – 05 Aug 2025
by Hawai‘i Wildlife Center
located in Kapa‘au, Hawai‘i
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Link to donate to Hawai‘i Wildlife Center for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Asio flammeusShort-eared OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/short-eared-burrito/feed/ 0 An Ornery Owl https://owlsintowels.org/an-ornery-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/an-ornery-owl/#respond Sat, 25 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2301 This Boobook looks like the very concept of anger manifested in the form of an owl. The blond feathers on his brow are highlighted (in contrast to the rest of his dark brown plumage) and curved up in a broad U shape, giving us the impression of raw unmitigated rage. More light feathers above the brow look a little like wrinkles, as if the owl were straining to hold such a furrowed look. Then again, these are only feathers; he could be very relaxed for all we know. He has grey-green eyes, heavily diluted. He's barely wrapped, but rather loosely nestled in the folds of a plain white towel. A fleece-like fabric appears behind in pink and green.

25th of Owltober!

Boobook sightings in Perth were up due to mild weather and no. of rodents about. A stern warning from Perth Wildlife Hospital: Don’t use rat and mouse poisons! They kill other animals in the food chain such as birds of prey.

See below for some excellent rodent control tips which can be done WITHOUT poison baits 🐁🪤🌱

Original post – 16 Apr 2020
by Perth Wildlife Hospital
located in Malaga, Western Australia
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

Recently we have received a spike in reports of Boobook sightings around the Perth suburbs. This is most likely due to the weather being mild, perfect for Boobooks to hunt their favourite food – mice and rats!

Please protect our native wildlife and refrain from using poisonous baits to kill rodents that may live on your property. These poisons have the potential to kill our native birds of prey should they consume the poisoned rodents.

Instead, discourage rodent activity on your property by ensuring excess pet food and fallen fruit isn’t accessible, that chook pens and aviaries are rodent-proof, and by ensuring roof and wall cavities are sealed.

We recommend planting native trees to encourage native bird predators to visit your property. Let nature take care of the mice and rats instead, you’ll be surprised by how much activity may happen in your garden without your knowledge!

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

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox boobookAustralian BoobookWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/an-ornery-owl/feed/ 0 Ozark Owl Observations https://owlsintowels.org/ozark-owl-observations/ https://owlsintowels.org/ozark-owl-observations/#respond Fri, 24 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2297 A Saw-whet Owl is contained in a lavender pillowcase or pouch during a banding operation to help efforts monitoring the migration of the species. The owl faces the camera with a pair of curious yellow eyes. A thumb is wrapped over top of the fabric. A paper document with red backing sits on a desk behind.

24th of Owltober!

Ozark Bird Conservancy is currently monitoring the fall migration patterns of Saw-Whet Owls, so they can study the “habits of these cryptic and poorly understood birds!”

OBC operate in the Interior Highlands – an elevated area in central North America that spans parts of Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma.

Pictured is one of the owls they banded during the 2024 season.

Original post – 02 Dec 2024
by Ozark Bird Conservancy
Northwest Arkansas
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Link to donate to Ozark Bird Conservancy for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Aegolius acadicusNorthern Saw-whet OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/ozark-owl-observations/feed/ 0 Surgery in Saratoga https://owlsintowels.org/surgery-in-saratoga/ https://owlsintowels.org/surgery-in-saratoga/#respond Thu, 23 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2293 Close-up of a Great Horned Owl hooded and wrapped by a white-pink towel. The hood sags in the middle, forming a rounded letter 'Y', or bunny-ear shaped tunnel in which the owl is ensconced. The owl's mouth is open and yellow eyes are wide, reflecting ceiling lights. The rehabber wears dark emerald green scrubs, one arm bearing a tattooed sleeve, the other holding the owl's legs below and out of frame.

23rd of Owltober!

Original post – Sep 2019
by Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA
located in Saratoga, California
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

We are currently caring for a Great Horned Owl that became entangled in netting at a soccer field in Woodside. He sustained wounds on his right foot and lower leg. The owl will need more surgery on his foot and leg as part of his ongoing treatment before he is fully healed and can be returned to the wild.

Note: the image data indicates this was posted in September 2019 but the following advice is just as apt this time of year🕸️:

As you prepare to decorate for Halloween, please consider not using fake spider webs since animals, especially birds, can become caught in them.

Link to donate to Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/surgery-in-saratoga/feed/ 0 Marshmall-owl https://owlsintowels.org/marshmall-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/marshmall-owl/#respond Wed, 22 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2241 A Ruru Morepork is wrapped in a marshmallow-pink towel, held to the chest of a rehabilitator. The owl's eyes are wide and amber, and the silhouette of the photographer is reflected in the owl's black pupils. The rehabber wears a navy blue fleece with zipper teeth that coincidentally match the towel in colour. A black computer keyboard sits on a desk top right.

22nd of Owltober!

Original post – 10 Apr 2024
by Bird Rescue Whanganui Manawatu
North Island, New Zealand
Website | Facebook

A Ruru Morepork in a marshmall-owl pink towel was treated by Bird Rescue Whanganui Manawatu. The owl was found under a car at Rotokawau Virginia Lake, New Zealand 🇳🇿🥝

Link to donate to Bird Rescue Whanganui Manawatu for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Ninox novaeseelandiaeMoreporkWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/marshmall-owl/feed/ 0 Battered Bronx Bird https://owlsintowels.org/battered-bronx-bird/ https://owlsintowels.org/battered-bronx-bird/#respond Tue, 21 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2236 A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a watermelon-pink towel, held between the forearm and chest of a rehabilitator wearing dark blue scrubs and light blue gloves. The owl has seen better days, missing one of his 'horn' tufts and some other head feathers, looking rather scrappy overall. His eyes are yellow tinged with green. His head is both turned and leaning slightly, oddly reminiscent of a portrait of Captain James Cook. His feathers are the shade of toasted granola with accents of cream and dark brown.

21st of Owltober!

Original post – 06 May 2024
by Wild Bird Fund
located in New York, New York
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

We welcomed another owl guest — a juvenile great horned owl who had fallen on very hard times before even getting started in the world. This BIG kid was found in the Bronx, emaciated, dehydrated and very weak. He’d lost one of his ear tufts and appeared to have been pecked on the head.

We treated him for potential rodenticide poisoning, a likely culprit, and provided urgent supportive care. This morning he was more stable and we’re sending him off to our excellent friends at The Raptor Trust for longer-term recovery. Thank you to TRT and to the NYC Parks rangers who rescued the owl. We truly hope this young beauty will get the chance at a long life in the wild.

Link to donate to Wild Bird Fund for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo virginianusGreat Horned OwlWiki link
They’re the same picture.
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/battered-bronx-bird/feed/ 0 Long-Eared Overwinters https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-overwinters/ https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-overwinters/#respond Mon, 20 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2233 The long ears on this Long-Eared Owl are curled back, appearing like bells on an old-timey alarm clock. His feathers are brown white and creamy caramel. Talons from one foot are bottom frame, clenched and criss-crossed. A vanilla towel with raised white patterning is what cloaks him, supported by a hand in a white medical glove. The owl's eyes are wide, slightly divergent, and expressed in a thousand-mile stare - beautiful bright yellow rings with a grid of skylights reflected in the black pupils within

20th of Owltober!

A Long-Eared Owl was treated for eye ulcers from a head injury. He recovered vision but missed his migration, so overwintered at AIWC to be released in spring.

Posted in Recovery Review – Vol. 24 | Issue 1 | Winter 2017
by Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation (AIWC)

located in Madden, Alberta, Canada 🇨🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

A long-eared owl was recently admitted with ulcers on both eyes, a typical symptom of a head injury. The ulcers have been treated, and the bird now has no risk to his vision. It’s interesting to note that owls hunt as much with their ears as their eyes; experiments having shown that even blind owls can catch prey in the dark.

The long-eared owl spends the winter months in the south, sometimes as far as Mexico, so since this particular owl missed his migration, he will over-winter with AIWC until he can be released in the spring.

Link to donate to Alberta Institute for Wildlife Conservation for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Asio otusLong-eared OwlWiki link
]]> https://owlsintowels.org/long-eared-overwinters/feed/ 0 Stroppy Eagle Owl https://owlsintowels.org/stroppy-eagle-owl/ https://owlsintowels.org/stroppy-eagle-owl/#respond Sun, 19 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2228 A Spotted Eagle Owl is wrapped in a slate blue towel in a burrito-like fashion. The rehabber holds the fledgling upright for the camera with their left hand (in a white medical glove), and takes the photo with their right. The original post says "rehabbers often have to handle admissions solo" which explains the improvised wrapping technique common to a lot of posts here, which enables the carer to take notes, photos, and administer food, fluids, treatment etc. The owl's feathers are mostly grey with a white outer fuzz looking like fresh snow. Her beak is tucked in behind the wrap, leaving only her green-yellow eyes visible, which are expressive, thanks in part to black markings that appear like raised eyebrows.

19th of Owltober!

Original post – 26 Sep 2025
by FreeMe Wildlife

located in Howick, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa 🇿🇦
Website | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube

Original text:

Creativity is key🤔🔑

When working at a rehab centre, anything can happen at any time, day or night. This means our rehabbers often have to handle admissions solo (holding, treating, taking photos etc.), which often leads to comical improvisations. This Spotted Eagle Owl fledgling was being especially stroppy on admission, and so had to be restrained in a towel burrito while a small wound on her neck was being treated🤣🌯🦉.

Two days later…

Update on our blind Spotted Eagle Owl fledgling🦉🦉🦉

This young spotty, now known as Eyeball😂, is doing much better than on admission. While both pupils have returned to normal size, we’re not convinced she can see much more than light or movement. It’s been a long road for this baby, and her journey with us is not quite over yet. We are cautiously hopeful that she will continue to improve and regain her sight fully. In the meantime, she has moved to a bigger cage and will soon be tested in an outside enclosure.

We love what we do, and how we do it… ❤

Link to donate to FreeMe Wildlife for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo africanusSpotted Eagle-OwlWiki link



Bonus image:

A cartoon trash-can lid and a pair of fuzzy brown eyebrows are composited onto the original image, which combined with the cylinder-like quality of the towel, and the owl's eyes peeking above the rim, makes this Spotted Eagle Owl look like beloved Sesame Street character Oscar the Grouch

]]> https://owlsintowels.org/stroppy-eagle-owl/feed/ 0 Vitamin K for Snowy https://owlsintowels.org/vitamin-k-for-snowy/ https://owlsintowels.org/vitamin-k-for-snowy/#respond Sat, 18 Oct 2025 08:00:00 +0000 https://owlsintowels.org/?p=2207 A Snowy Owl is enveloped by a plain, light taupe towel from above, and a pair of thick yellow gloves from below. Her eyes are a perfect match to the gloves, and square to the camera. She has thin black bars across her chest and top of head, being the exception to her otherwise snowy plumage. Her rictal bristles are white and pronounced in the shape of a wide triangle (like a coat hanger without a hook), the peak of which starting at the centre of her eyes and hanging halfway down her black beak. It's comparable to a human growing a moustache above their nose and a little strange if you ask me, but that's how nature goes sometimes. Fun fact: there is currently no emoji or Unicode character for a coat hanger.

18th of Owltober!

A Snowy Owl had a bad case of rodenticide poisoning (evidenced by a low blood count from a small wound that wouldn’t clot). DuPage Wildlife aided her recovery with Vitamin K treatment and expert care.

Original post – 03 Feb 2022
by DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center
located in Glen Ellyn, Illinois
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Original text:

At this point, we feel like a broken record, but we can’t emphasize enough that anticoagulant rodenticides are extremely harmful to our wildlife populations, especially raptors.

This week’s Patient of the Week is an arctic visitor that many have been able to see in the wild this winter – a snowy owl! This individual, likely a female from her plumage (though juvenile males look very similar), was brought in on Jan. 31. Volunteers with the Chicago Bird Collision Monitors (CBCM) collected this individual after she was found down with a large amount of blood on her feet and legs. On presentation, she was very quiet for her species (they LOVE to bite), had a significant amount of blood on both her legs and feet from just a small wound, and her mucous membranes were extremely pale.

Does this sound similar to some of our other recent patients of the week? It should. When we checked her bloodwork, her red blood cell level was only 15% (it should be 40-50%) and her blood didn’t start to clot until 30 minutes after collection (it should take 2-5 minutes). Her body was in decent condition, and her only injury on exam was a small wound on her left foot. Sadly, these findings all point to this individual suffering from anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning.

With her red blood cell count so low, we were concerned that she might require a blood transfusion. Since we don’t have another snowy owl in our care, we likely would have used blood from a great horned owl to be as similar as possible (although avian transfusions can use blood from almost any other avian species). Thankfully, with supportive care and vitamin K therapy, this bird is already showing great strides in improvement and is eating on her own. In the next few days, as long as she continues to improve, she will be anesthetized for X-rays and her wound will be assessed to determine if it needs surgical closure.

In recent years, we have seen numerous irruptions of this species. An irruption is when a large population of a certain species migrates outside their normal range following a highly successful breeding period. For snowy owls, this is linked to a boom in the lemming populations in the north, which is their favored prey. As you can imagine, the difference in landscape between the tundra they are used to and more urban areas is quite extreme, causing some of these birds to end up in trouble — like vehicle collisions, power line electrocutions, and in this case, consumption of poisoned prey. In big irruption years, snowy owls have been spotted as far south as Florida!

Snowies are built for the cold with excellent camouflage and an incredibly thick layer of feathers. Owls already generally have feathery feet, but snowy owls have built in snow boots with heavy feathering down the legs and feet, even in between their toes. Snowy owls tend to be more active during the day and are often seen roosting on the ground or other flat surfaces (sometimes rooftops) since that’s normal for them — there aren’t too many trees in the arctic. They also have feather tufts like the horned owls, but they are short and well-hidden on their thickly feathered, rounded heads.

With a snow day like today, we can only hope to get this beautiful owl back out in the wild and the world it is so well adapted for

Link to donate to DuPage Wildlife Conservation Center for those willing and able.

xo owlsintowels

💛🦉

SpeciesCommon NameMore info
Bubo scandiacusSnowy OwlWiki link
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