Screech owls are tiny in comparison to other owls. Adults can grow to be 7.5 to 10 inches tall and weigh around six ounces. Eastern and Western screech owls have similar habitats, and we’re unsure where this rural farm is. One thing we are certain about is that they could not have selected more appropriate background music.
When this couple noticed a tiny baby screech owl had fallen out of the nest, they contacted a wildlife rescue. Because the nest’s location was known, the rescuers recommended trying to place the baby back into the nest. The wife was unsuccessful. The parent owls conducted dive-bombing flyovers to scare her away from their nest. One of them crashed into the wife’s face.
That’s when hubby knew that additional safety measures were necessary. He donned a thick jacket, heavy gloves, and a fireman’s helmet. Appropriately attired, he leaned the ladder against the tree. As the parent owls continued flying offensive maneuvers, he ducked beneath the ladder to avoid direct hits.
Diligence paid off. The husband was able to pick up and cradle the baby screech owl. He carefully timed his climb to avoid strafing runs from the parent owls. Placing the baby in the nest, he quickly descended the ladder. Once on the ground, he moved the ladder and stepped off to a safe distance.
While small, screech owls are still members of the raptor family. These tiny little terrors will attack prey larger than themselves and they have no trouble taking on their human targets. They can be relentless in protecting their nest. Even though the humans had no intention of harming the little owls, the parents still considered them a threat. We’re glad they were successful.
You can find the source of this story’s featured image here.
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