WILSON, Wyo. — On Monday, the Teton Raptor Center rehomed a baby Great Horned Owl that was found in the garage of a home near Idaho Falls.
“In this case, it seemed that the bird was truly orphaned,” said Sheena Patel, Teton Raptor Center Clinic Coordinator. The homeowners did the right thing and called Teton Raptor Center after waiting three days for the parents to return for the baby.
With tips from the community, the Raptor Center was able to find a nest for the bird in Eastern Idaho with two other baby Great Horned Owls being cared for by their parents. “Most always a wild bird will care for a young of the same species,” said Patel.
While the owl was in the care of the Raptor Center, staff fed the bird in silence and complete camouflage to reduce the risk of imprinting.
Patel explained that during the re-nesting process, she did not wear camouflage, “Anytime we do something that will bother a bird we look like humans to scare them.”
She placed the bird in the nest while the two other babies were there and she was careful not to look at the other birds. “It was much more comfortable in the nest than it ever was with us, which is a good sign,” she said.
It’s baby bird season and fledglings will be out and about over the next few weeks. After the bird’s hatch, they spend up to two weeks on the ground receiving food and protection from their parents from afar.
Well-intentioned humans may think that a bird is abandoned or orphaned when they see them on the ground, but that is not always the case.
“Oftentimes they are perfectly fine, they are ready to leave the nest but not ready to fly,” said Patel. “Their parents are usually around, but they will sacrifice their babies if they sense risk.”
Patel said, “If you come across an injured, or baby bird on the ground, call your local wildlife rehab center. Do not try to feed or touch the bird.” Feeding a baby raptor food like birdseed can cause lasting nutritional problems.
She also explained that taking a photo from afar can help wildlife professionals identify the bird and the care it might need. “If you see parents they are okay,” said Patel. Birds and Raptors are often found in garages, backyards, driveways or discovered by dogs.
Human interaction during the fledgling period of life can be extremely detrimental to the raptor explained Patel. “Baby raptors are very impressionable,” said Patel, “If they are fed or cared for by humans they will think humans are safe and think they are humans.”
This phenomenon is known as imprinting. Whatever feeds the baby raptors, they will identify as that thing explained Patel. Eagles, osprey, hawks, ducks, geese, and owls also all imprint as babies. If they are fed or cared for by humans they will not be able to survive in the wild.
