Owlets find temporary nurture at WSU

Nine young owlets are being treated at Washington State University Teaching Hospital after their nests were destroyed.

Young great horned owls are rarely seen in the wild, a news release from the university said. The adults are fiercely protective predators with strong talons. These owlets were brought to the university when they were only a few days old.

“We’ve had great horned babies before, but in 10 years, I’ve never had any this young,” said veterinarian Nickol Finch, who oversees WSU’s Raptor Rehabilitation Center. “Pretty much all they’re doing is eating and sleeping.”

Access to the …

Nine young owlets are being treated at Washington State University Teaching Hospital after their nests were destroyed.

Young great horned owls are rarely seen in the wild, a news release from the university said. The adults are fiercely protective predators with strong talons. These owlets were brought to the university when they were only a few days old.

“We’ve had great horned babies before, but in 10 years, I’ve never had any this young,” said veterinarian Nickol Finch, who oversees WSU’s Raptor Rehabilitation Center. “Pretty much all they’re doing is eating and sleeping.”

Access to the owlets is not available to the public, and those caring for the birds are instructed to remain silent so they will not bond with humans, the release said.

The hospital hopes to release the owls into the wild sometime this summer.

View a video from the WSU veterinary hospital