Who wants to see baby owls?
by good.deeds
First the foxes, now owls
Mendocino artist Erica Fielder reports that the little owls a friend of hers found a few weeks ago are doing well.
The owls took their first flight last week and are able to hunt mealworms on their own. They even deliver a kill bite to the back of the neck of the dead mice they receive.
Good Deeds has been receiving photos of these Western Screech-Owls. When mature they will stand about 7 to 11 inches tall hand have wingspans of 18 to 24 inches.
Good Deeds readers send in notes on wildlife sightings nearly daily. In Sonoma County, backyard naturalists can learn about wildlife by just sitting quietly outdoors at dusk and dawn.
Filled wine glass, optional.
Have you ever sprinkled super-fine flour on a patio or gangway at dusk to see what critter footprints appear in the morning? It can be an enjoyable and educational challenge to identify tracks left by skunks, weasels, possums and raccoons. Give it a try and let Good Deeds know what you find. Photographs encouraged!
Depending on who is taking care of the owls [you do not say], this may or may not be a “good deed.” The raising of orphaned wild animals is best left to experts such as the people at Bird Rescue in Santa Rosa. Too many people try to turn the animals into pets with disastrous results.
by Jeremy Nichols
I love the ideas I will be using them with my 8 year old. I think you are doing a wonderful thing and those are beautiful birds.
by Ribbons
My Goodness, they are so cute! They have grown so big with the care they are being give. I rescued three sightless kittens once, and only one survived…whoever is caring for the owlets is doing a wonderful job.
by Catherine Poloynis
I volunteer with handling raptors, and its never a good idea unless you are trained to be raising these owls. They need to be handled as little as possible if you want to be able to actually re-release them. Otherwise all your doing is imprinting these birds and making it so that most likely theyll end up as residents for some educational program like the bird rescue center has. Lets not hinder theyre chance of growing up in the wild, please give them to experienced staff at the BRC to raise and release.
by Rockstar