Half-a-Wing Shy

This northern saw-whet owl — who came to VINS with a fracture in his left wing complete with nerve damage — has had quite a row to hoe during his recovery here at VINS.

See a video of the owl getting his stitches removed.

You may recall this little fella from an earlier post on our blog about weighing him. Turns out the nerve damage was non-reversible, and the tip of the owl’s wing became necrotic (or dead). The owl began to gnaw at his own wing — trying to remove the dead weight. We had no choice but to partially amputate the wing up to the elbow.

Had we not amputated, the owl would’ve continued to chew on his wing, causing infection and likely death. With a partially amputated wing, he cannot return to the wild. But don’t despair! This lucky guy has a forever home at Windows on Wildlife, a non-profit educational organization based in Massachusetts.

So although he leaves us half-a-wing shy, we are positive this special owl will thrive at his new home. Good luck, little bird!