More than a dozen orphaned Washington barn owl chicks, who tragically lost their nests, have now found their new homes.
About 15 owls were left without shelter after the haystacks that supported their nests were removed last year in the state.
As a temporary relief, the birds were sent to Blue Mountain Wildlife’s facility in central Washington, but soon had to be relocated again earlier this year.
But now, the big-feathered birds have found their permanent home in a pair of nest boxes as a result of a collaboration between Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Horticulture Center.
Approximately 15 orphaned baby owls have found their permanent home in a pair of nest boxes as a result of a collaboration between Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine and the Horticulture Center.
WSU wildlife veterinarian Dr. Marcie Logsdon told the Seattle weather‘The really exciting thing about this is that this is the first year that we’ve had our own hacking site where we’ve been able to breed and release these owls.
‘It’s a technique that works especially well with owls, because when they are babies they remain in the nest cavity… until they have practically learned to fly.’
University caretakers are also taking special measures to ensure that the owl chicks do not become immature with humans and potentially become predators.
As part of box-less care methods, keepers have been using ghillie suits to disguise themselves as owl parents and present food to the chicks.
A study of owls in vineyards found that a single owl family can catch and consume around 3,466 rodents in one year.
Keepers are also taking special measures to ensure that the owl chicks do not become immature with humans and potentially become predators.
Grant Glover, a wildlife biologist and gardener at WSU, said, ‘Right now, their parents would still be helping them.
“Even when they’re alone, they still ask mom and dad for food, and they come and feed them and all that. So I think that’s probably what’s going on here.
“Now that they’re fledged, we leave a few mice on top of the box every night, just so they can play the role their parents would play.”
Logsdon also noted that barn owl chicks require intensive parental care, especially when they need to be fed.
The expert revealed that a single baby owl is capable of consuming up to 10 mice per day and in an effort to meet the high food demands, the parents tend to delay the hatching of some eggs.
WSU wildlife veterinarian Dr. Marcie Logsdon noted that barn owl chicks require intensive parental care, especially when they need to be fed.
Logsdon added: “It’s a way to help the parents raise as many babies as they can find food for, because the biggest baby owl gets to eat first and the rest get bigger. That way they can raise a lot of babies.”
“It’s a wonderful method of rodent control for things like orchards, and it’s one of the reasons we’re so excited to be able to implement this with the WSU orchard.”
A study of owls in vineyards found that a single owl family can catch and consume around 3,466 rodents in one year.
Combined with their ability to live in close quarters with each other, owls tend to be perfect alternatives to harmful rodenticides or other forms of pest control for farmers.
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