So Small, So Uncommon

It would have been easy to miss the bird. Silent in flight, utterly still when perched, usually camouflaged in dense foliage, and weighing less than three ounces, Northern Saw-whet Owls are seldom seen. But this nocturnal bird was sitting on a window sill at Hearst Castle in full daylight. When a Castle employee approached, the owl didn’t attempt to fly away. Clearly something was wrong. The employee had brought animals to PWC before and knew what to do.

The intake exam revealed missing feathers on top of the bird’s head, “numerous flat flies,” and “no interest in flying,” our veterinarian reported, but there were no significant findings, such as fractures, on radiographs. The owl was given oral medications and subcutaneous fluids and put in a small, quiet, indoor enclosure with appropriate food. Several days later, taken for a test flight in an outdoor aviary, the owl “got a little lift.” The wing mechanics looked good, but the flight was not strong. The bird needed more time.

However, within a week, NSWO 26-2287 graduated to an aviary outdoors and showed an ability to get much improved lift. The owl was soon able to fly from the floor straight up to the highest perch.

Staff and volunteers couldn’t help but be charmed by this saw-whet owl, just the third to be brought to PWC in the past thirteen years. When these caregivers entered the enclosure with food and water, they would briefly glance up to see the little bird, nearly invisible except for two huge eyes, hidden in foliage in the uppermost corner. When 26-2287 was cleared for release back to the wild, they were glad for both the bird’s recovery and the privilege of being part of it.