Lucky to be Alive

September 2013

This young Barn Owl was the subject of a call to our Live Owl Emergency line on Friday. Recently fledged, she’d managed to get her legs tangled in baler twine and then get hooked onto barbed wire on an electricity pole only a short distance from the nest.

Glenda Calvert from Pry House Farm in North Yorshire rang the Trust to ask for advice and then, despite her fear of heights, Glenda decided to climb up to cut the twine and release the bird. Fortunately the barbed wire was much lower than the live wires! “The owl was quite calm and I was able to gently snip away at the string” said Glenda.

Having started to check the owl over; following the instructions on our website, she decided to take it to her local vet where the young owl was fed and observed overnight.

“The following morning the vet phoned to say that the owl had survived the night and was more lively; her talons were obviously working properly as she’d been trying to peck the vet (a good sign!). Today I put her back in the barn where she was raised. Imagine my delight when I discovered another young owl in there too! So from a brood of three or maybe four, at least two have made it. A big thank you to David, Senior Conservation Officer at the Barn Owl Trust”, said Glenda, “his advice and guidance was invaluable.”