Here at the wildlife services department of VINS we have been lucky enough to play foster parents to a young eastern screech owl for the past few weeks. If you have recently been by the Rehab In Action exhibit’s one way viewing window you may have seen us dancing around in a crazy looking feathered mask. This is our ‘Momma Owl’ mask. Since raptors are highly intelligent it is very easy for them to become imprinted on humans. This means if they grow up in close contact with humans they start to think they are human and it is incredibly difficult to “re-wild” a bird once this has happened.
So, in order to keep our contact with the owlet to a minimum and keep this baby thinking it is a bird, we have pulled our adult female eastern screech owl off exhibit to act as a foster mom to the owlet. Our hope is that the female will adopt the owlet and teach him the ways of the owl world so we are able to release him once he is old enough.
Check back soon for more updates on the screech owlet as he grows up!