Great horned owlet successfully renested

A great horned owlet and a banded watersnake were among the 162 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week. Other admissions include a northern cardinal, 83 royal terns, a broad-winged hawk, a palm warbler, a ring-billed gull, a black racer and six Virginia opossums.

The great horned owlet was found on the ground late one evening; von Arx Wildlife Hospital Volunteer Critter Courier, Lauren Malinowski, transported the owlet to our facility. The owlet received a physical exam; the owlet was alert, reactive, bitey and trying to defend itself with its talons. The owlet’s left eyelid was slightly red and irritated and the owl’s mouth had a foul odor. The owl was placed in an animal intensive care unit to rest overnight.

The following morning the owlet was re-evaluated; the foul mouth odor persisted and the owlet’s feces were odoriferous as well. The owlet received pain medication, electrolytes, Chinese herbs, a supplement to support liver function, a vitamin supplement and an avian probiotic. Supportive care was continued throughout the day. The second day at the hospital showed improvement. The owl’s mouth no longer had an odor, its feces were normal and the owl’s appetite had returned. At this point hospital staff felt the owl could be renested. Lauren went to the location and found the adult owls in a tree near where the owlet was found meaning the chance for a successful reunion was high.

On day three, the owl was cleared for release. With hospital staff busy taking care of our huge influx of royal terns, von Arx Wildlife Hospital Volunteer, Tim Thompson, was in charge of coordinating the renesting. Bartlett Tree Experts staff, Walter Morales and Matt Smith, met Tim at the location; the nest tree was inaccessible with their trucks so Walter provided guidance and oversight as Matt climbed the tree and installed an artificial ‘basket nest’. With the owlet settled in the basket, Matt had successfully completed his first owl renesting.

A check of the nest for several consecutive days showed the owl parents in the nest tree and the owlet looking strong and healthy. Thank you Bartlett Tree Experts for donating your services to reunite this great horned owl family.

Many species of wildlife are actively nesting. Last week also brought nestling ospreys, mourning doves and grey squirrels to the wildlife hospital. Be sure to check trees before cutting or trimming; avoid pruning any trees that have an active nest. Check your yard after inclement weather to insure no babies or nests have been affected by high winds or heavy rain. Call the wildlife hospital staff for more information if you have concerns about an active nest in your yard.

A Big Cypress National Preserve employee found the hit-by-car banded watersnake on Tamiami Trail east of Collier Seminole State Park. The snake’s rescuer didn’t expect the snake to make it through the night but it was alive the following day so the snake was brought to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital for care.

The snake was dull and non-responsive when admitted; it was apparent the snake had suffered head trauma. A treatment plan was set and the snake was placed is an animal intensive care unit. A check on the snake later that afternoon showed the snake was more responsive when touched but overall, its mentation was still dull.

The following morning the snake’s condition had deteriorated considerably. The head trauma proved too severe; the only appropriate course of treatment was humane euthanasia. While the outcome for the snake was not what we hoped for, it is an incredibly relief to know that someone cared enough to stop and assist the injured snake instead of leaving it to die slowly on the road.

Many people fear snakes and are of the mindset that ‘the only good snake is a dead snake’ meaning snakes are often intentionally killed; such senseless killing is unnecessary, particularly because snakes play an important role in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Snakes are amazing predators and a natural form of pest control; snakes help keep small mammal, insect and rodent populations in check.

There are ways to coexist with snakes. Maintain your yard and keep the grass mowed low; flower beds, thick vegetation and brush piles should be kept a good distance from your house thereby reducing shelter and food options for rodents and snakes. Wear close-toed shoes, gloves and long pants when gardening. Never feed pets outdoors; pet food attracts rodents and rodents attract snakes.

If you encounter a snake, killing it shouldn’t be the first thought. Snakes will opt to retreat if encountered so back away and give the snake room to escape. If a snake is cornered, it will feel threatened (as any animal would) so it may become defensive. Step back and give the snake space to retreat. When left alone snakes present little danger to people. Also, keep in mind, most snake bites are received by people who try to kill or capture a snake.

Recent Releases

A Florida box turtle, a Florida softshell turtle, four eastern cottontails, six grey squirrels, two common grackles, an anhinga, two red-shouldered hawks, a big brown bat, two gopher tortoises, a yellow-bellied slider, a yellow-rumped warbler and a great horned owl were released this past week.

Opportunities to Help

Joanna Fitzgerald is director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida, 1495 Smith Preserve Way, Naples, Florida 34102. Call 239–262–2273 or see conservancy.org

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