Snowy owls are a rarity in the Kentuckiana region.
For several days, a snowy owl has been spotted near the Gene Snyder and Westport Road area in eastern Jefferson County.
The snow owl is 2,500 miles away from his arctic home. “The morning we caught him he was standing next to the pavement trucks [and they] were going by him, he wasn’t moving,” Sally Seyal from Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky said.
The animal was brought to the Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky facility weighing just over 2.5 pounds and about 1 to 4 pounds under weight. “We’re happy that he’s survived for two days because he may have very well died initially. He’s still in kind of critical – he’s that thin,” Seyal said. It’s believed the owl migrated south looking for food but scientists are still trying to figure out the reason for this unusual visit this far south.
The malnourished owl is being fed through a tube. “It’s actually baby food mixed with lactated ringers which is a sugar in electrolytes which is what they give patients in surgery,” Seyal said. Volunteers at the rehabilitation center say it could take as long as three months to for the owl to fully recover.
It’s a really good sign that he’s feeling better and getting stronger,” Seyal added. Volunteers are deciding to whether release the snowy owl locally or transport it up north to release it back into the wild.
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The snow owl is 2,500 miles away from his arctic home. “The morning we caught him he was standing next to the pavement trucks [and they] were going by him, he wasn’t moving,” Sally Seyal from Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky said.
The animal was brought to the Raptor Rehabilitation of Kentucky facility weighing just over 2.5 pounds and about 1 to 4 pounds under weight. “We’re happy that he’s survived for two days because he may have very well died initially. He’s still in kind of critical – he’s that thin,” Seyal said. It’s believed the owl migrated south looking for food but scientists are still trying to figure out the reason for this unusual visit this far south.
The malnourished owl is being fed through a tube. “It’s actually baby food mixed with lactated ringers which is a sugar in electrolytes which is what they give patients in surgery,” Seyal said. Volunteers at the rehabilitation center say it could take as long as three months to for the owl to fully recover.
It’s a really good sign that he’s feeling better and getting stronger,” Seyal added. Volunteers are deciding to whether release the snowy owl locally or transport it up north to release it back into the wild.
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What a beautiful owl.
I'm so glad that someone found him. These are such beautiful owls, & very rare to see. I remember as a child, always watching for the snowy owl that was in our area in Ont. He/she would perch on the telephone pole for what seemed like hrs, & I would sit & watch it until it flew off. It was around the area for a couple of yrs, and then must have moved on. I loved watching it. They are so beautiful!
Work well done to all the volunteers who have help this one to its road to recovery!!
A responsible rescue org would drive north, closer to his natural habitat. No matter how far north that would be.
Thanks for the post; I hope they get the poor thing back to the north somehow. There have been a lot of articles and research on how cell towers are causing birds to lose their sense of direction, here's one:articles.mercola.com/.../how-cell-phones-are-killing-birds.aspx This beautiful creature is a case in point, I'm afraid. It never ceases to amaze me how humanity has f----d up this planet and the lives of wildlife. - Salle
So glad they found that magnificent owl in time to save it's life. It needs though to be taken back up North where it belongs as soon as it recovers. If it's released back there locally, the same thing only maybe worse will happen again.