This article is a detailed guide on how and what to feed the chicks of long-eared and short-eared owls, barn owls, great gray owls, eagle owls, and snowy owls at home. By following the feeding method and taking into account the biology of the behavior of chicks of different species of owls, it is possible to feed a healthy owlet.
I warn you right away and remind you: having an owl as a pet is far from the best idea that can come into a person’s mind! Therefore, if you have picked up an owlet, then do everything to return it to its family, or, if this is not possible, then direct all your efforts to returning the chick to nature, i.e. rehabilitate him.
Here is a wonderful article by Nicky Zubra about how to help an owlet: Owls, owlets, owl chicks, owlets. There is no need to save them and help them!!
If you were unable to return the chick to the owl family and do not see or hear adult birds at all, and do not want or cannot engage in feeding, here is a list of rehabilitators and rehabilitation centers in Russia and Ukraine where you can place a chick of an owl or other bird of prey.
Most often, chicks of the long-eared owl and gray owl end up with people.
Long-eared owl's owlet. Photo by Nika Zubra. Gray owl chick. This little owlet is actively exploring the world around him, not yet being able to fly normally. There is no need to interfere in the lives of such owls. They are out of danger. Photo by Vera Ermakova.
Chicks of barn owls, long-tailed and gray owls and, even more so, eagle owls and snowy owls are extremely rare, but there are more and more nurseries where these owls are bred and, accordingly, the owlets are sold. However, there are much fewer such nurseries than poachers who sell owlets in markets or through Avito. Know that by buying an owlet from your own hands without documents, you are breaking the law and harming nature. Here is a detailed article by Nika Zubra about how to buy an owl correctly.
What a healthy owlet that DOESN'T NEED TO BE RESCUE looks like: Clear eyes. Active attention and response to what is happening around. Dense “strong” body, with noticeable muscle tone, which is well felt if you pick up the owlet. The keel (sternum) does not protrude.
The owlet can be returned to the nest or the place from which you took it (provided that you hear the voices of other chicks or see them) even several days after you took it. Owls easily accept even foreign chicks of their own species into their nests, and the age difference often does not matter.
Video about how three chicks of different ages were thrown into a nest of gray owls (Strix aluco) from another nest (destroyed); adult owls adopted other people's chicks and raised them:
The literature describes cases of an owlet returning to the nest 22 days after it was taken for surgery to repair a broken wing.
Why an owl after all?
How does it happen that a seemingly adequate person suddenly decides to keep a bird of prey in the house? Yes, I just came across an article on someone’s blog about how smart and cool an owl chick is; the photo next to it touched me.
How could it be otherwise? He's so funny! He opened his eyes, fluffed the fluff in all directions - laughter, and that’s all! It is not for nothing that an owl chick is compared to an aunt who wakes up in the morning after a good drinking session. The photo is clear proof of this.
And many people believe in the myth about the outstanding intelligence of owls and eagle owls. In all cartoons, it is these birds that all the characters go to for wise advice. And even in the intellectual battle “What? Where? When?" As a prize, the winners are given a cup in the shape of an owl. This amazing bird is a symbol of wisdom.
I would not like to deprive the hope of raising an extra-intelligent creature from someone who has already acquired a small owlet. But you have to. In fact, the intelligence of an owl is much lower than that of a crow, raven, falcon, and hawk. It’s hard to believe, but even the heron is smarter! And polar owl chicks are generally recognized as the most incapable of learning.
And yet, the uniqueness of these birds sets them apart from all birds. This:
- ability to rotate the head 270 degrees;
- soundless flight.
All these qualities help predators during night hunting. But even the long-eared owl does not have so-called ears. There are tufts of feathers sticking out on the head of this charming bird, and not ears at all, as many people believe.
The importance of owls for nature
The fact that owls play a huge role in maintaining the balance of nature is undeniable. Moreover, such a role is difficult to overestimate.
Birds of prey of the Owl family regulate the number of rodents, and also hunt sick and weak birds, participating in the process of natural selection, which has a positive effect on the gene pool of nature.
These birds also participate in the process of mass distribution of fruits and seeds of various trees, shrubs and plants. As a result, natural distribution of seed material occurs. This is especially important in cases where natural fires massively destroy thousands of hectares of forest. As a result, everything burns, including the seed material. If it weren’t for the birds, nothing would grow in such areas.
The droppings of these birds provide quite valuable organic fertilizer.
The owl is considered an unusually beautiful and proud bird, but at the same time, some representatives of this family easily get used to living next to people. Nowadays, it is difficult to surprise anyone with an exotic pet, but keeping an owl as a pet is not only surprising, but also extraordinary.
Natural clocks are a great power!
When purchasing such an exotic pet, the future owner does not always take into account the fact that in its usual habitat this predator sleeps during the day and hunts at night. Or, perhaps, a naive person hopes that the owl chick, once in a human family, will begin to adapt to the new regime?
In fact, everything is absolutely not like that. After all, this charming bird even has eyes that are designed in an unusual way. A special layer of cells in the pupil reduces its sensitivity to daylight. Therefore, both the owl chick and the adult prefer to sit motionless in some secluded place during the day. It is unlikely that it will be possible to force a nocturnal predator to stay awake during the day. And if you annoy the owl too much, the frightened bird may fly up and bump into a wall, door, or furniture. And this is fraught with injuries.
But at night, the owl chick will rustle, scream, try to fly and make itself known in other ways. In nature, at this time the predator goes hunting. Well, what can you do? Hunting instinct, and you can’t argue with it.
Where to go if everything is really bad
There are cases when it is not known exactly where the owlet was found - it was brought by children, it was seized from a drunk citizen, it is found far from the probable habitats of owls, where it is in danger. There are cases when a chick is taken away from domestic animals, or wounds and damage are noticed on its body. In this case, the bird must be transferred as soon as possible to specialists who can provide it with the conditions necessary for survival.
Contacting the nearest veterinary clinic or zoo is wasting precious time, risking the baby’s health. Veterinarians deal exclusively with treating animals, and not feeding chicks. Zoos do not accept animals taken from the wild without permission. Help should be sought in rehabilitation centers where the owlet will be cured, raised and prepared for return to the wild.
Selecting a pet based on its size
A bird of prey cannot sit in a cage all the time. She just needs to fly around the room a little. Therefore, when choosing a pet, the future owner must balance the volume of his home, which he is going to share with the bird, and the size of the owl in adulthood.
It is worth considering that eagle owls and tawny owls grow quite large. Trying to fly around a city apartment, these birds will simply knock feathers against the walls and furniture.
Therefore, the optimal solution would be to have smaller representatives of this family - barn owls or owlets. The long-eared owl chick also feels quite tolerable in city apartments.
Population and species status
Owls, being birds of prey, have a great impact on the environment and the processes occurring in it. Through their efforts, populations of insects, rodents, and various pests are controlled. Moreover, some species of owls today are on the verge of extinction due to their constant destruction. These, for example, include the polar owl, which was listed in the Red Book. To preserve its species, a number of conservation measures are being carried out aimed at protecting natural habitats and stimulating the reproduction of polar owls.
All owls contribute greatly to the balance of nature. In addition to controlling the number of rodents and insects, they implement the following functions:
- They hunt sick, non-viable birds, becoming participants in natural selection. This helps cleanse the natural gene pool and breed the most resilient predators adapted to life.
- They distribute fruits and seeds taken from bushes and trees. Thanks to this, there is a massive distribution of material that allows new plant objects to appear, which has a positive effect on the state of nature. This is considered especially useful in those regions where there have been extensive fires that have destroyed large hectares of forest. Birds help replant empty plots.
- The owl droppings produced are considered valuable fertilizer.
Organization of space in the room where the owl lives
It should be understood that it is almost impossible to train a bird to be neat. Therefore, when keeping an owl in the house, it is better to hide all the objects that the bird can dirty, drag away, tear, knock over, or break. You should take the location of documents especially seriously - owls simply love to drag them into a secluded corner and enjoy them there, enthusiastically tearing a passport or marriage certificate into pieces.
Experts advise removing tulle curtains from windows. Owls easily get entangled in them, begin to fight and break their wings and paws. And when the bird simply gets tired of fighting for its life, hanging upside down for several hours, it will inevitably die.
Windows and mirrors must be covered. The bird, despite all the stories about its extraordinary intelligence, does not understand the difference between an open space and a glassed one. Therefore, there is a possibility that the owl will fly into a mirror or window and begin to fight, getting injured.
It is recommended to put special “perchages” on the walls that will imitate branches. These devices are made of wood and covered with either artificial grass or carpet.
Owls love to take a bath. Therefore, it is necessary to place baths for them - wide but shallow containers with water.
Types of owl birds
Owls are divided into true owls and barn owls. Ornithologists are studying them. And among the people, the long-eared owl has gained the greatest popularity.
The bird was named because of the two tufts of feathers located at the top of its head. It is quite large - up to 35 cm. It prefers to settle in coniferous forests and hunt in fields. That's why people see her more often.
The great gray owl is twice the size of the long-eared owl. It can grow up to 80 cm. It is called bearded for the white feather collar at the bottom of its head.
The feathers of the pygmy owl are decorated with yellow speckled dots. This baby, weighing no more than 100g, has adapted to hunt both day and night.
In total, scientists have counted more than two hundred species of owls.
Diet of an owlet in captivity
It would be good if the future owner of an exotic pet asked in advance what the small predator prefers for lunch. It happens worse when the owner finds out what to feed the owlet only after he brings it into his home. After all, the diet of these birds consists of mice and small birds. Moreover, the digestive system of these predators is arranged in an interesting way. A long-eared owl chick, for example, must eat a whole bird or mouse, with bones, fur, and feathers. Therefore, it will not be possible to feed her chicken or minced meat, pork tenderloin or beef chops. And it’s better not to talk about cereals and vegetables, both boiled and raw.
To solve the problem of what to feed the owlet, the owner will urgently need to run to a pet store or poultry market for mice, chickens or quails. Here he may be unpleasantly surprised by the prices for these rodents. Yes, they don’t even cost a penny at all.
What to do in the first hours after you find an owlet?
The owlet is at your home: first of all, give it something to drink (give it 1-2 ml of water), then put the chick in a dark box and start looking for food and looking for a veterinarian who treats birds.
How to give water to a chick?
Giving a chick something to drink does not mean that you need to provide him with a water bowl; for small owls, a water bowl or bathing bowl is deadly - they can drown in it. The safest way to drink is to wet small pieces of meat with water and give them. Or give water with an insulin syringe without a needle, opening the chick's beak - it is important not to get into the trachea, it is located immediately behind the base of the tongue (the hole is surrounded by ridges) - therefore, water must be administered in very small portions, allowing the chick to make swallowing movements with its beak.
Weak, lethargic chicks with dull or sunken eyes should be examined as soon as possible. These chicks need warmth (plastic bottles of hot water wrapped in a towel are often used for this so as not to burn the chick) and additional water. After taking these measures, contact your veterinarian immediately
Raw meat, chicken necks, offal (liver, kidneys, lungs), ground beef or chicken - these are the products that you can use in the first 12 hours - BUT THIS IS THE MAXIMUM!!! Then irreversible problems with the chick’s bone tissue will begin. This is what happens if you feed your owl more meat:
If you find yourself in such a situation that you cannot get mice or rats, then buy a carcass of a rabbit, quail, chicken, and if the chicks are already old enough, feed the chicks with pieces of carcasses with bones, cutting the carcasses along the joints so that there are no sharp bone fragments; if the chicks are very small, then: pass chicken necks, chicken parts without long bones (without wings and paws) plus beef heart through a meat grinder, the same goes for rabbit carcasses. Roll this minced meat with bones into balls and feed them.
If there is absolutely nothing but meat, then grate carrots or beets on a coarse grater (or finely chop dill, or add dry gammarus), squeeze out the juice, mix with finely chopped meat. If you only have minced meat, then mix it with grated carrots or beets (after squeezing out the juice), add calcium carbonate, roll into a ball and feed them with these balls. The owlet will not digest carrots, beets, chitin and will regurgitate these components in the form of pellets.
It is important to know that reverse intestinal motility, which leads to regurgitation of the pellet, is more physiologically important than a lack of calcium. This way you can feed the chick for several days without disaster. But be sure to contact your avian doctor, he will advise you on how to further balance the chick’s diet. Your task is to do everything possible to avoid wasting time and preventing the development of rickets.
Severely malnourished chicks should be fed with several small pieces of meat 20-30 minutes after they are in your possession. The avian doctor will give further instructions on how to help the owlet.
Immediately start keeping a sign with the weight of the chick, weigh it once a day, before eating. Such information is very important for a veterinarian and will make it possible to correctly calculate dosages and promptly notice health problems or delayed development of the chick. The owlet's weight should normally increase every day.
How can you tell if a chick is dehydrated? Signs: Thick, sticky saliva in the mouth. The eyes are dull. Wrinkled skin and skin folds on the eyelids.
All these signs indicate that it is necessary to urgently contact a veterinarian.
How to feed a baby owl?
In the first days, when a place has not yet been found where you can buy mice and chickens in the required quantities, you can replace live food with chicken hearts. The meat should be at room temperature, free of fat.
If the owls are very small, the food is chopped with a knife. When the chicks open their beaks demanding food, you need to put small pieces directly into their mouths. From time to time a piece needs to be dropped at his feet. If the owlet manages to pick up food from below, you can switch to this type of feeding. Pieces of meat should gradually be made larger. Owls must learn to tear apart animal carcasses with their claws and beak.
Chicken livers should be given to the chicks 2-3 times a week. Predators are reluctant to eat this type of food. Nevertheless, the liver is a storehouse of beneficial microelements necessary for the body of birds.
Why some mistakes can be easily corrected
Our illiterate naturalist brought the catch home, and only then found out that he had done something stupid. Now it is his duty to return the chick to nature - to take it to the place where he found the owlet. Here the rescuer begins to be tormented by doubts: will the parents accept a baby who smells like a person, have they left the place where their child is no longer there? Birds, unlike mammals, when caring for their offspring are guided not by the smell, but by the child’s voice. As soon as the owl calls them, they will fly to him. Owls are territorial; they will not leave their nesting site in the next few months, much less within 24 hours.
There is no need to fear for the health of a small bird that has not received food for several hours. It’s bad if a person has already treated the baby to something tasty. But even in this case, if the owlet looks healthy and is immediately returned to nature, there will be no trouble.
Features of owl digestion
In order for a long-eared owl chick to grow healthy, it needs to consume a couple of mice or the same number of chickens per day, freshly slaughtered and in no case frozen.
If quail is on the predator’s menu, then the carcass should be gutted before “serving.” It is also advisable to cut off her paws and head. All these manipulations are done because quails are carriers of many infections. If you allow the owl to eat them whole, then it is quite possible that the disease will spread to it through the food.
A healthy bird eats well and with appetite. And after 10 hours she should vomit the pellet. This is the name given to undigested bones, wool and feathers. If there is no clue, this is a cause for concern. You should also be concerned if the owl's regurgitation smells foul or if blood is visible in it.
How to keep owlets?
The easiest way to keep an owlet in the first days is in a cardboard box with a thick layer of large wood shavings or a stack of terry towels. You can also use baskets (large, woven from wicker).
Do you need to warm up your baby owlet?
While the chick is small, it needs heating. Heating can be provided with plastic bottles of warm water, wrapped in a terry towel, or, the best option, is flexible electric heaters (sold in terrarium departments or a “good warmth” panel will do), turned on to the minimum heating mode and covered with a terry towel.
If the owlet leaves the “warm corner”, then either the temperature of the heater is too high, or the chick is seriously ill. Before death, many owlets begin to shun their parents and move away from the warmth; those. This is a warning sign that should be discussed with your veterinarian immediately.
The box or basket containing the owlets should be partially covered so that the chicks are not in direct line of sight to humans.
Do you need a UV lamp for owls?
The chicks of all “stray owls” (and this includes almost all owls, with the exception of barn owls) need a lot of ultraviolet light, so a special “avian” lamp with a UV spectrum for chicks raised indoors is a must.
Medical lamps must not be used. Medical lamps contain hard ultraviolet light intended for disinfection; therefore, being in a room with working lamps is dangerous for humans, animals, and birds.
The “bird” lamp should be on during daylight hours.
How to equip a room (or enclosure) for owlets?
Once the owls' primary flight feathers form a minimal continuous surface, the chicks become very active and begin to roam around, actively exploring the world around them. In nature, owlets can walk tens and hundreds of meters per day. They also actively climb trees and bushes, fly and flutter. This activity is very important for the developing chick. Thanks to this movement, the owlets develop coordination and strengthen the muscles of their paws and wings.
Fledgling of a long-eared owl. The flight feathers already form a continuous surface. Such an owlet can confidently fly short distances. Photo by Nika Zubra.
To increase the mobility of chicks in a room or in an aviary, you need to make many perches of different sizes from branches with bark. Some of the branches and logs must be made movable so that the chicks can balance while sitting on them. To do this, thin branches or bunches of branches are secured at one end, leaving the other end unsecured. Thick branches or logs can be hung from the ceiling like a swing.
To enrich the chicks' habitat, it is necessary to constantly bring large bunches of branches with foliage or needles into the room or enclosure and be sure to change the branches as the foliage dries.
Under no circumstances should we assume that being carried in the arms, and especially in restraints, and other squeezing of the chick can help increase the chick’s mobility. Weak ligaments are easily overstretched and this leads to destruction of the joints and deformation of the long bones of the wings and paws. This is especially true for chicks with subclinical rickets (subclinical means that external signs of the problem may not be noticeable).
Saving owls is the job of their parents
People love to go out into the forest and into nature. And there they sometimes find little owlets in the grass under the trees. Deciding that the chick simply fell out of the nest, well-wishers feel pity for the baby and take him into their home.
In fact, they are doing the wrong thing, since it is quite difficult to feed an owl chick at home. And the situation is different from what man imagines.
Owls do not fall out of their nests at all. They systematically fly to freedom. However, the wings of the chicks are still weak. Therefore, the kids dive to the nearest bush. Parents are ready for such a turn of events, so they calmly watch the first flaps of their children’s wings. However, despite the fact that the owlet has flown out of the nest, mom and dad continue to take care of their child, feed him, and protect him.
Life expectancy and main enemies
The answer to the question of how long owls live largely depends on the species characteristics and distribution area of these birds. The largest representatives, eagle owls, are considered the main long-livers in this family. Their age can be up to two or more decades.
Other species live in the wild from 5 to 15 years. The smaller the owl, the greater the chance that its life expectancy will be short, because it can easily become prey to large predators. This primarily concerns little owls and scops owls.
The behavior of owls towards their relatives may differ depending on their size. If the relative is of comparable size, then flapping of wings and menacing clicking of the beak are used. But if it is larger, then in this case the option of “disguising” itself as bark or tree branches is used, and in terms of such “spy games” owls are notable masters.
Representatives of the owl family more often die from malnutrition than from attacks by predators. But their chicks are most susceptible to death due to the presence of a wide range of enemies ready to feast on owl eggs or their fragile offspring. If necessary, to protect the chicks, owls can violently attack their opponents, and even attack people if they are near their nest.
Raccoons, foxes, and ferrets are the main destroyers of owl nests. Arctic foxes are the main enemies of the polar owl. Therefore, as a rule, a quarter of owl chicks die before they can fly independently. Deforestation also does not contribute to an increase in the population of these birds, for which the dense thicket is the main abode. In captivity, owls can live for quite a long time, sometimes even up to 50 years, if we are talking about large species.
Owl habitats
Owls have settled all over the Earth. They were not found only in Antarctica. There are 17 species living in Russia.
Sparrow owls are considered the most common in the deserts, jungles and coniferous forests of the planet. Tawny owls predominantly inhabited North Africa, Asia and Europe. Scops owls also fell in love with European open spaces.
Open spaces and locations near people's homes are preferred by little owls. The prickly cacti of North America are favored by the elf owl.
Almost all morphs lead a sedentary existence. Only the polar owl prefers to move to warmer areas in winter.
Mating season and reproduction
Eagle owls “marriage” in the off-season: early spring or autumn. For mating and breeding, they return to their old favorite places. The male attracts the female with loud hoots and singing.
Usually these birds do not bother building a nest. The female simply lays eggs in a hollow, someone else's abandoned nest, or in a hole on a rock.
A female eagle owl lays an average of 2-5 eggs. She incubates them on her own for a month, feeding on the male’s offerings. The weight of small owlets reaches 50 grams.
A newborn eagle owl chick does not leave its home during the first month of life. The mother cares for her offspring, never leaving the cubs alone. The first hunt of a young flood begins at 20 weeks, sexual maturity occurs at 3 years of age.
Bird in the forest
What mood prevailed in your dream?
People who should listen to the opinions of others often dream of an owl in the forest. You need to stop relying on yourself and start learning from the experiences of wiser friends. When making any important decision, you should first consult with knowledgeable people.
If you happened to see an owl maneuvering between the trees, then this indicates the dreamer’s numerous fears and experiences that need to be eliminated. Don’t waste your nerves scrolling through negative thoughts and problems in your head.
An eagle owl sitting on a branch and looking intently into the dreamer's eyes can mean financial losses and material difficulties.
A dream of an aggressive bird of prey in the forest is a symbol of enemies and ill-wishers who will in every possible way interfere with the dreamer’s happiness.
What color was the bird?
A white owl in a dream is a good sign, prophesying harmony in the family, the disappearance of conflicts and disputes, positive changes and prosperity.
The polar owl (it also has a white color, but with small gray and brown splashes) promises troubles and minor troubles on the way to achieving goals. With the correct prioritization, you will ultimately be able to achieve what you want.
The gray predator personifies a rival with a cunning plan.
An owl of a yellow or golden hue in a dream is a sign of the need to save. All the financial problems of the sleeper are currently due to his extravagance.
The black color of an eagle owl in a dream represents enemies and ill-wishers who will strive to do everything to enable the dreamer to achieve his goals.
If you dreamed of an owl or an eagle owl?
In the system of mythological symbolism, the owl has a dual basis. On the one hand, it is a generally accepted symbol of knowledge, wisdom , and comprehension of hidden knowledge.
On the other hand, since this is a nocturnal bird, it is associated with the other world, darkness, sorrow, loneliness.
A dream in which you see an owl may foretell an imminent situation in which you will have to show wisdom. Or, on the contrary, the situation will teach you wisdom, reveal some knowledge that is still secret to you.
An owl is similar to an owl - a prophetic night bird , a guardian of darkness, but in the interpretation of dreams with an owl, greater emphasis is placed on receiving good news or gifts.
Turn off outdoor night lights
Owls are night hunters. The only exception is the northern pygmy owl, which is active during the day and sleeps at night. But the vast majority of owls hunt under the cover of darkness. Leaving night lights on may cause birds to become disorientated. In order to gain the support of these nocturnal predators, you should turn off the lights at dusk. If you're concerned that your dark yard will become a magnet for late-night wanderers, you can install a weatherproof PIR motion detector on the exterior of your home. These systems detect the movement of people and small animals and do not respond to the presence of small birds such as owls.
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Why do you dream of a dead owl?
Most interpreters are inclined to believe that a killed bird of prey in a dream is a good sign, foreshadowing overcoming obstacles, liberation from troubles and unkind people.
Some interpretations indicate that women often dream of a dead owl on the eve of the diagnosis of a serious illness. Fortunately, health troubles can be avoided if you consult a doctor in time.
A wounded and bloody eagle owl in a dream indicates an upcoming meeting and conversations with relatives. Killing a bird in a night plot is a bad symbol. Complex unpleasant situations and conflicts will arise, the cause of which will be the dreamer himself.
