“This is not typical owl behavior …”
Young Owl Survives Brush With Car And Soars Again
When a call came into New England Wildlife Center (NEWC) about a tiny owl sitting stubbornly on the side of a busy Harwich road, rescuers knew something wasn’t right. Healthy owls don’t linger in traffic.
By the time the team arrived, the little Eastern screech owl was still planted in place, dazed and vulnerable as cars sped past. His wide, mismatched pupils told the story: the youngster had likely been clipped by a vehicle during one of his very first flights out of the nest.
“That’s called anisocoria,” NEWC explained. “We see it often in head trauma cases.”
The owl was quickly transported back to the hospital for fluids, anti-inflammatories, and cage rest. The staff monitored him closely, worried about swelling in his brain. Luckily, X-rays showed no broken bones and no lasting eye damage — just a bruised body and a shaken spirit.
Days later, everything changed.
“This morning, we were very excited to see that he was bright, alert and had eaten,” NEWC wrote. “We flight tested him, and he passed with flying colors!”
A week after his roadside ordeal, the young owl returned to Harwich. This time, when the cage door swung open, he didn’t hesitate. He lifted into the air and vanished into the treetops, strong and steady.
His second flight was everything his first wasn’t — safe, powerful, and free.
“We are very happy to report his second flight went WAY better than the first,” NEWC said.