In a heartwarming rehabilitation story, six eastern screech owls—Diego, Joey, Howie, Emmy, Gwen, and Dora—were released together after successful recoveries. Each owl came to Owl Moon at different times late last fall and early winter suffering from head and eye trauma. They found camaraderie during their healing process residing together in the same mew. The screechies overcame feather damage through a full molt and formed strong bonds with one another. Prior to release, the staff carefully conducted live prey tests to ensure they were ready for life in the wild.
When the time was right and all were healthy, their mew door was left open overnight to let the six loose. Since the screech owls are all young, they could be released in a new territory as this is the age they typically venture out to find their own homes away from home nests. Since they became bonded to one another, it is possible that some will journey together, pair up, and raise families in the near future. Since their release, nights at the Center are full of screech owl calls and responses, a sign that members of the group are not only thriving but also establishing their presence in the area. We hope our new neighbors hang around and have a full life back in nature together!
To support future screech owl rehabilitation efforts, consider donating at https://owlmoon.org/how-to-help/donate.html