A small Western Screech owl has been given a second chance at life thanks to the kindness and quick thinking of two high school students in West 麻豆精选 on Feb. 3.
"The boys did all the right things. They are just wonderful kids, they were just out biking and stopped to help the owl," said Brian Prodor, a firefighter in West 麻豆精选 who had been driving home from training when he saw two teenagers off their bikes on the side of Westlake Road.
"I could tell something was a little bit off," said Prodor. He turned around to make sure everything was alright and saw that the two Grade 10 students from Mount Boucherie were protecting a small owl.
"They were so polite and so kind and so concerned for this little creature," said Prodor. "They did all the right things."
The teens told Prodor that they believed the tiny, softball-sized bird had been hit by a car just moments before they had biked up to it. By the time Prodor saw them, they had positioned their helmets in front of the bird to protect it from the glare of passing vehicle lights and their bikes were laying across the path to ensure people kept their distance from the injured bird.
They did not want to move the bird for fear of scaring it and potentially causing more injuries, but it was dark and cold out so time was of the essence. Since the nearby vet clinics were closed, Proctor called in a favour from friend, fellow firefighter and local bird expert, Lora Roberts.
She immediately drove over with a box and blanket for the little owl to keep it safe and warm overnight until the South Okanagan Rehabilitation Centre for Owls and Raptors (SORCO) could pick up the bird and assume its care. Roberts has experience rehabilitating birds and knew exactly what the owl needed to keep it safe overnight.
"It looks good but it is touch and go," said Dale Belvedere, the manager of SORCO. They explained that the first 72 hours after an incident like a car collision are critical for survival.
Belvedere said that while the owl doesn't appear to have any serious injuries and is eating well. He added it can take days after an impact for brain injuries to be expressed in birds.
The owl is currently in a specialized covered cage and is receiving three meals per day from SORCO volunteers.
"We just do as much work as we have to," said Belvedere about the around-the-clock labour that is required to rehabilitate a raptor.
The raptor rehabilitation organization runs solely on donations and community support. Even a small owl like the one rescued from West 麻豆精选 consumes more than $10 worth of food each day.
"It's very costly but we are here because raptors are a huge and important part of our ecosystem," said Belvedere.
To learn more and support SORCO visit sorco.org.
