For owls that are superb.
US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now
International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com
Australia Rescue Help: WIRES
Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org
If you find an injured owl:
Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.
Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.
Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.
If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.
For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.
I found an article by Dan Weisz the other day about his time with a leucistic GHO. It's a short story, but packed full of quick facts and information, and I felt his sense of amazement at this owl in reading it.
These photos are from the article, but I didn't post them all here in hopes you read the article! 😇
Thank you! I learned a good bit I didn't know, like blood pooling so the brain gets oxygen while the head is rotated, but this from the embedded link was particularly interesting: "13.) Owls are zygodactyl, which means their feet have two forward-facing toes and two backward-facing toes. Unlike most other zygodactyl birds, however, owls can pivot one of their back toes forward to help them grip and walk."
I'm kind of envious, but imagining shoe making would be difficult.
If you like this type of content, I have a number of. Owl-natomy posts. Here are some of the better ones for you to check out:
Owl-natomy: Feet and Talons
What a Twist! : New study says owls may actually be able to turn their heads a full 360 degrees
Owl-natomy: The Fabulous World of Feathers
On the contrary! The owls already have built in features that would make Ugg and Vibram jealous!
Owl feet are one of their most important features for their success and survival. Do check out that foot post!
I will, in between procrastination and cleaning! Thank you very much!