Continued from Part 1
From Raven Ridge Wildlife Center
05 April
Happy Easter and we have a truly remarkable story to share today.
Sometimes, circumstances unfold for a reason, and what initially seems heartbreaking can lead to something positive. Our first baby of 2026 arrived weak and underweight after being discovered at the bottom of a cold cement stairway in downtown Columbia. This Great Horned Owl was alone in an area lacking trees or safe spots for a young owl too small to be out of the nest, without a parent to protect or feed it.
Just two days before, we had received an adult female Great Horned Owl rescued from an electrical fence. She showed clear signs of nesting behavior but was unable to fly or even stand. We always strive to do what is right for our patients, ensuring their surroundings and rehabilitation environments closely resemble their natural habitats.
Hatchling and nestling owls tend to imprint easily, so placing them with a foster adult or others of their age and size is crucial. Knowing the female Great Horned Owl was still in nesting mode and the baby owl had lost its mother, our team decided to take a chance and pair the two. This was a risk we were willing to take to allow her to continue her mothering role, ensuring the baby owl would not imprint on humans and could learn from its own species. It turned out to be a win-win for both.
The relationship has developed beautifully, and we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for either owl. The adult female has taken on the role of caregiver, demonstrating strong protective instincts. We plan to release both the adult female and the baby owl together in the general area where she was rescued. Having the baby owl released with her will provide the necessary support from an adult that raised it, in case of any need for assistance.
One of the greatest rewards our team experiences is ensuring that our patients receive top-quality care and natural comfort during their rehabilitation.
I know it’s life, but it’s sad.
So… how does þe rescue feed momma, so she can feed babies? Just give her dead mice, like dad would bring back? Or, GHO… rabbits?
The foster mom (or dad, I’ve seen some great male surrogates) will deliver the food to the babies, and if needed, pull it apart into bite-sized bits until they are large enough to eat whole prey.
When I was feeding the baby Screech last year, I had to break up the mouse on my own. Not my favorite activity. It was a difficult eater as well. The GHO baby I could just leave some mice or cockerels for, and it did its own thing. Owls don’t seem to like eating in public so far.
Before I saw your comment, I was reading a post about a baby squirrel flung from a tree with a huge gash across the throat. They were saying the usual culprit is a male squirrel.
It said male squirrels basically mate and bail out on the family, so they don’t care about baby squirrels. If they kill the babies, the female will go into heat again, he gets to do his thing again.
Thankfully they said the hurt baby was energetic despite its ordeal, but it goes to show just about all animals have their violent sides. The owl, whose main job is sleeping and killing, makes a loving parent, while the “cuddly” squirrel is being a deadbeat dad at best and needless murderer at worst.
Nature. I tell ya… 😔