An adventurous baby owl that got too close to the edge of his nest and took a tumble now has a new type of nest, one that will hopefully keep him both cozy and secure.
- Baby owl dropped from nest onto soft spot on ground
- Photographer spotted owl's plight, called for help
- Local rehab center, park officials implemented plan for new "nest"
It happened just off the trail at Honeymoon Island State Park. Park Manager Peter Krulder said the bird found himself in some trouble once he was outside the confines of the nest.
“He had his talons hooked into the side of the nest, hanging upside down,” said Krulder. “Poor little guy looked like he was in a panic.”
Krulder said the owl hung that way for about 10 minutes before dropping to the ground. Luckily, the bird landed in a soft spot and wasn’t hurt.
A concerned photographer captured some photographs, and then called for help. Krulder said the owl was sent to a local rehab center to be checked out, and when it was brought back the next day, the rehab team recommended a new type of nest.
“It’s your standard milk crate that was just able to keep the baby contained and keep him from falling back out,” Krulder said. “Like a baby crib.“
The crate is now hanging in the tree in place of the nest, and Krulder said the baby owl is right at home. The mother owl has even been spotted bringing the young bird food.
Krulder called it a close call with a happy ending.
“This is what you live for,” Krulder said. “You have a passion for working out here and when you see something like this, and know that it’s going to be a success, you can’t beat it.”