Rescued Great Horned Owl!

By 965koit on October 17, 2018

Thanks to a three agency response, an adult Great Horned Owl was rescued after she became entangled in abandoned kite string in Woodside.  The Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA (PHS/SPCA), the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office and the Woodside Fire Protection District all assisted in saving the life of the owl.

“We responded to a call from a concerned resident on October 15 who had found a Great Horned Owl whose wing had been caught in kite string,” said PHS/SPCA’s Communications Manager Buffy Martin Tarbox.  “The poor owl was hanging by her wing suspended between two trees.  She was unable to free herself and without human assistance more than likely would have perished.”

Woodside Fire Protection District staff was able to cut the string, and the owl fell down into the arms of PHS/SPCA staff who were underneath waiting to catch her.  PHS/SPCA staff thoroughly examined the owl and found no injuries.
“Our rescue staff were able to untangle her wing from the string, and thankfully she suffered no injuries from her ordeal and was immediately released back to the wild.  Had she needed treatment, we would have brought her back to our Wildlife Care Center,” according to Tarbox.  “The rest of the abandoned kite string was carefully removed to prevent any further negative interaction with wildlife.”

PHS/SPCA’s Wildlife Care Center successfully rehabilitates 1,200 to 1,400 animals each year and is funded entirely by donations.

Great Horned Owls are native to North America and to the San Francisco Bay Area.  They are highly adaptable birds and help keep rodent populations in check.

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