Tawny Twosome

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
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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

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