Screech Owl Vehicle Collision

Eastern Screech Owl
© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 19826802 - Eastern Screech-owl; Walton County, Georgia. January 23, 2019.

Just after sunset, one of the animal control officers was called out to pick up an owl. A little red or rufous morph Eastern Screech Owl had crossed paths with a vehicle and became stuck in the car’s grill after a head-on collision. The owl was quite stunned, but still alive.

Owls have superb vision and pinpoint hearing in order to pick off prey in low-light situations. I suspect this one was so focused on diving after its prey, which in this case was on the side of a roadway, that it don’t even notice the vehicle racing at it from the side.

The animal control officer brought the Owl back to the animal shelter and placed it in a quiet cage. Thankfully, it was still alive in the morning when I arrived. It was still able to see, which is a good sign. Many owls I have picked up that were involved in car strikes have gone blind from head trauma. It was also able to fly a short distance but soon became exhausted. Sensing it wasn’t able to be released, I made arrangements with a licensed wildlife rehabilitor to take it into their care.

  • Walton County, Georgia; January 23, 2019

Eastern Screech Owl
© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 19826802 - Eastern Screech-owl; Walton County, Georgia. January 23, 2019.

Eastern Screech Owl
© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 19826802 - Eastern Screech-owl; Walton County, Georgia. January 23, 2019.

Publicado el enero 26, 2022 04:08 TARDE por williamwisephoto williamwisephoto

Observaciones

Fotos / Sonidos

Qué

Tecolote del Este (Megascops asio)

Fecha

Enero 22, 2019 a las 07:15 TARDE EST

Descripción

Removed from the front grill of a vehicle after being struck by a car. Photographed before releasing to a wildlife rehabilitator the next morning. See the photo journal at http://williamwisephoto.com/photographyblog/eastern-screech-owl.

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