A Northern Barred Owl is on the road to recovery after a car accident left him with severe head trauma.
On Dec. 29, the injured bird was brought to Procyon Wildlife Centre in Beeton Ont., after being found on the side of the road confused and injured.
According to staff at Procyon, a resident noticed several cars pulled over near her home and assumed a wild animal had been struck. Expecting to find a deer, she rushed outside only to discover the small striped owl with large black eyes, dazed and injured.
The owl was treated for head trauma, with blood visible in his mouth and around his eyes. After care and monitoring, vets at the National Wildlife Centre have now cleared him in good health.
One representative from Procyon says he will spend the next week in an outdoor enclosure to reacclimatize to the winter conditions before being released back into the wild.
The woman who rescued him suspected the owl had a mate raising her young ones nearby. Sure enough, during his time in care, his mate has been spotted returning to the area, searching for him.
“She’ll be beyond relieved to have him back home,” said Procyon staff.
The owl is expected to make a swift return to his family soon.
