They were just a few days old 🥺

The Hollowed Stump: A Tale of Two Owlets

This past April, homeowners in South Florida hired a tree removal company to cut down a dead tree in their backyard. After the workers brought down the top part of the trunk, they discovered two tiny balls of fuzz nestled deep inside the hollowed-out stump.

Upon closer inspection, the workers realized these fuzz balls were actually baby eastern screech owls. Knowing the fragile owlets needed immediate help, the homeowners and workers carefully transported the entire tree stump—with the babies still safely inside—to the South Florida Wildlife Center (SFWC).

A Miraculous Survival

The SFWC medical staff immediately examined the owlets. Incredibly, they found that the babies hadn’t been injured by the chainsaw or the impact of the falling tree. Despite the chaotic ordeal, they were completely healthy.

“The nestlings were so young, small, and fluffy that their eyes were still closed,” said Haillie Mesics, a development associate and marketing specialist at SFWC. “They had likely hatched only a few days prior.”

Operation: Family Reunion

Because the baby owls didn’t require urgent medical intervention, the SFWC team decided to try reuniting them with their mother. They attached a secure wooden nesting box to a different, healthy tree in the homeowners’ backyard and gently placed the owlets inside, hoping the mother would locate them.

To give nature a helping hand, the team got creative.

“To alert the mom that her babies were back, we played eastern screech owl calls from our phones at the base of the new tree to entice her back into the area,” Mesics explained.

A Shift in Plans

The following morning, SFWC’s release coordinator, Melanie Lemieux, returned to check on the nest. She placed the babies on a scale to see if they had gained any weight overnight. Unfortunately, they hadn’t, indicating the mother had not returned to feed them.

“The removal of the nesting tree could have caused too much of a disturbance for Mom to feel safe returning,” Mesics noted.

Acting quickly, SFWC made the decision to bring the owlets back to their rescue facility for long-term care. The nestlings initially required round-the-clock attention in the intensive care unit, but it wasn’t long before they began to thrive.

The Path to Rehabilitation

Once stabilized, the young owls hit their milestones rapidly. They quickly learned to eat on their own and were soon graduated to a spacious outdoor enclosure to continue their rehabilitation.

Sadly, this situation isn’t unique. SFWC frequently treats wild babies left stranded after their nesting trees are cut down. To prevent these heartbreaking displacements, the center offers a crucial piece of advice for homeowners:

• Timing is Everything: Hold off on major tree trimming or removal until late fall, when most local wildlife species have safely raised their young and left the nest.

Flying Toward the Future

Thanks to the dedicated team at SFWC, the two tiny puffballs discovered in April have officially grown into lanky, energetic teenage owls.

They are growing stronger and more independent by the day. Soon, they will transition into a large flight enclosure to build up their wing strength and practice hunting. Once they master those essential survival skills, they will be released back into the wild to start their new lives.