Owls in Towels

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Wildlife rehabilitators often wrap owls in fabric so they can be weighed, treated, and fed. If not, the owls get in a flap. The result?

Loads of pictures of

08/10/2026

8th of Owltober!
Cutest Little Carnivore

This Northern Saw-Whet Owl has featured before, but this particular photo of him is so good it deserves a post of its own.

Original post by The Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital at Cornell University
located in Ithaca, New York, US
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Original text:

"This tiny saw whet owl was found lying in the middle of a busy road on a dark evening a few days ago in Ithaca, NY. Luckily he was noticed by a Cornell faculty member (and bird of prey expert!) that happened to be driving that way. He was gently gathered up in a soft blanket and whisked right to our front door, where our emergency team arrived to provide him with immediate care. Weighing in at only 75 grams (similar in weight to a kiwi fruit!), this owl, although a strong predator in the wild, is a delicate patient that requires extra special care.
Thankfully, after supportive treatments and thorough testing, he is determined to be releasable, and is well on his way to a complete recovery!"
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Link to donate to Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital for those willing and able: https://www.vet.cornell.edu/giving/ways-give
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 12 Mar 2024
Source: https://fb.com/279924138530437

07/10/2026

7th of Owtober!

This one is bursting at the seams .... the wildlife hospital, not the owl.

Original post featuring South Island Wildlife Hospital
located in Christchurch, Canterbury New Zealand

A piece titled "South Island Wildlife Hospital Appeals for Help" by 1News | TVNZ 1 | Seven Sharp gives us a glimpse into life at the rescue clinic.

Reporting: RACHEL PARKIN
Editor: DOUG THOMSON
Camera: RICHARD POSTLES

"Although bursting with beautiful birds and passionate people [SIWH] runs on donations and the smell of an oily rag"
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Link to donate to South Island Wildlife Hospital for those willing and able: https://www.wildlifehospital.co.nz/help-us/
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xo 💛🦉

Owls in Towels

Posted: 26 Oct 2023
Source: https://1news.co.nz/2023/10/26/south-island-wildlife-hospital-appeals-for-help/

06/10/2026

6th of Owltober - "Snowy" the Snowy Owl

Original post by Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary
located in Minden, Ontario, Canada
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Original text:

"While examining Snowy the owl for injuries yesterday, we couldn't help it - we had to take a picture. Those eyes and that moustache give him a look of adorable fierceness!
Snowy will stay with us for a spell, just long enough to remind you [to donate to WWS] where every dollar raised goes towards helping animals like Snowy get back on their feet again."
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Link to donate to Woodlands Wildlife Sanctuary for those willing and able: https://www.woodlandswildlifesanctuary.ca/donate
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 23 Nov 2021
Source: https://fb.com/260048249491707

05/10/2026

5th of Owltober! Long-Eared Owl "Ginette"

Original post by Erminea
located in Chavornay, Switzerland
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Original text:

"Nous avons reçu un bébé hibou moyen duc qui s'est malheureusement fracturé l'humérus. Il s'est fait opérer aujourd'hui et heureusement tout s'est bien passé. Si vous voulez soutenir notre petit chouchou moyen-duc ""Ginette"" CCP 17-229708-9 🙏 Merci pour votre aide 🦉"

English Translation:

"We have taken in a young long-eared owl chick that has unfortunately fractured its humerus. It underwent surgery today and, thankfully, everything went well. If you’d like to support our little darling, the long-eared owl “Ginette” (CCP 17-229708-9) 🙏 Thank you for your help 🦉"
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Link to donate to Centre Erminea for those willing and able: https://erminea.org/index.php?nav=urgence&soutien=true
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 20 Apr 2021
Source: https://fb.com/2997629593790397

04/10/2026

4th of Owltober! El Búhorrito

Original post by BeWild Reptile Rescue
located in Durham, North Carolina, US
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Coda the Eastern Screech Owl, an educational / ambassador owl, is pictured shortly before getting his beak trimmed with the help of summer interns. BeWild posted thanks to the interns for their months of work, adding:

"We spent a day working with Coda the screech owl, which included a physical exam, new anklets and jesses, and a beak trim. We know they will do great things!"

(Jesses = thin leather straps that allow BeWild to take the owls out safely for public education.)

Coda was initially transferred to the BeWild facility, noted as "feisty and strong" in Nov 2022, joining Sonata, another gray-morph Eastern Screech.

In another post BeWild explained:

"Coda was injured in the wild and has a radius/ulna malunion on his right wing. While he can’t fly very well, he can hop a few feet and uses a ladder to get up to his higher perches!"

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Link to donate to BeWild Reptile Rescue for those willing and able: https://bewildnc.org/support-us/
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 22 Aug 2025
Source: https://fb.com/752793290801175

03/10/2026

3rd of Owltober! Boobook Spooked By Magpies

October is Spring for Australians and on this side of the Equinox (and Tropic of Capricorn) the days are getting noticeably longer, lighter and warmer: a time for planting pumpkins rather than harvesting them. And yet, it is still very much a scary season, for Australia is home to arguably one of the most frightening creatures on the planet: the Australian Magpie.

Indeed, it's nesting season for Magpies, and these guys (and it's almost always the guys) will guard their territory like it's the last tub of Vegemite during a global shortage. For a few weeks of the year, a small but aggressive contingent will dive at anything they see as a threat. Reports of Magpies swooping at cyclists is common - there's a whole website for registering attacks at https://magpiealert.com so you can plan your commute around these fierce protectors.

Owls, as it turns out, are not immune to the beaks and claws of Magpies. The Australian Boobook pictured above was a patient at South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter after an attack from a Magpie mob. Not much more info is in the original post, but it's a good reminder for Australians to pack their safety sunglasses and wide brim hats when heading into the suburban wilderness. And also not to blame the Magpies, they're just following their nature, and trying to raise their young in a challenging environment.

Take care Aussie creatures, be you feathered or not.

Original post by South Oakleigh Wildlife Shelter (SOWS)
located in Victoria, Australia

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Link to donate to SOWS for those willing and able: https://sows.org.au/donate
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 18 Apr 2024
Source: https://fb.com/833886482101565

02/10/2026

2nd of Owltober!

It's ten years to the day that this lil guy, a Northern Pygmy Owl, had surgery for a broken wing.

Original post by Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah
located in Ogden, Utah, US
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Original text:

“As we’ve said before, Wildlife Rehabilitation is not cheap and “it takes a village” to make this work; support from individuals just like you.

This Northern Pigmy-Owl (the smallest owl in Utah) came to WRCNU two weeks ago with a broken wing. Here we share photos of his visit to Parrish Creek Veterinary Clinic to repair his injury.
This single surgical visit ran just shy of $1,000 and thankfully Parrish Creek gives us a discount due to our nonprofit work with wildlife, but even with that this itsy bitsy bird cost WRCNU almost $500 so far—not including his, hopefully, final visit and pin removal next week).

We’ve taken in almost 2,300 animals so far this year (3 months still to go) and so you might be able to imagine the bills we have to pay to give these amazing animals a second chance in an increasingly “humanized world”.

Enjoy the photos and please consider helping our mission of REHABILITATION, EDUCATION, and RELEASE!
Thank You! ❤”
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Link to donate to Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Northern Utah for those willing and able: https://wrcnu.org/donate
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 02 Oct 2016
Source: https://fb.com/1288785674500249

01/10/2026

1st of Owltober!
Big Recovery for Great Horned

Original post by Shades of Hope Wildlife
located in Pefferlaw, Ontario
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Original text:

“GREAT HORNED OWL

This patient arrived a few weeks ago showing critical signs of head trauma. With blood in his mouth and an overall lethargy, our team provided emergency care and placed him on medical watch.

It is now 4 weeks later and we are happy to see a great improvement. He is looking bright again and we are hopeful that he will make a full recovery.”
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Link to donate to Shades of Hope Wildlife for those willing and able: https://www.shadesofhope.ca/donate.html
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xo 💛🦉

Posted: 02 Nov 2025
Source: https://fb.com/1214876774001316

24/09/2026

Not Quite Owls in 'Towels' ... (but close enough)
Researchers wrap tiny Saw-Whet Owls in cloth bags to keep them calm.

Original post by Cornell Lab of Ornithology
located in Ithaca, New York

Photos: CHRIS LINDER
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Original caption text:

"A saw-whet is ready for a quick exam when researchers will collect data and affix an identifying leg band."

"The tiny owls are wrapped up in cloth bags to keep them calm until it’s time for researchers to conduct a brief examination."

The full story 'A Grassroots Banding Project Reveals How Amazing Northern Saw-whet Owls Are' by Scott Weidensaul is worth a read:
https://allaboutbirds.org/news/a-grassroots-banding-project-reveals-how-amazing-northern-saw-whet-owls-are/
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Link to donate to Cornell Lab of Ornithology for those willing and able: https://give.birds.cornell.edu
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 09 Oct 2019

17/09/2026

Spa Day for Great Horned Owl

Original post by Red Wolf Sanctuary
located in Rising Sun, Indiana
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Original text:

"When you get tangled up in something that lands you in hot water:
This poor little boy Great Horned must have gotten something wrapped around his talons (toes) causing them to swell and develop into a nasty infection.
Hot soaking spa treatments in epsom salts daily are starting him on the road to recovery."
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Link to donate to Red Wolf Sanctuary for those willing and able: https://www.redwolf.org/general-donation
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xo 💛🦉 Owls in Towels

Posted: 25 Sep 2020
Source: https://fb.com/3463539143738453

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