Restored to health, birds scoot

SHARON — After more than two months of rehabilitation at the Sharon Audubon Center, two eastern screech owls and a broad-winged hawk were released back into the wild this month.

When the two owls were brought to the center they were emaciated and unhealthy, according to Erin O’Connell, wildlife rehabilitation and outreach coordinator for the Sharon nature center.

One of the owls was found in someone’s house, behind the sofa, after it had been captured by a pet cat.

“The other one someone found on the ground,†O’Connell said. “Because he  couldn’t find the owl’s nest, he brought the owl here.â€

O’Connell said the Audubon staff put the two owls in the same cage with the center’s resident screech owl, “because we didn’t want them to get too used to people.â€

The resident owl acted like a surrogate father to the two newcomers, literally taking them under his wing.

As the visiting owls became stronger and healthier, the staff put them into a larger cage, where they could practice flying and hunting.

“We wanted to make sure they could catch their own food before we released them,†O’Connell said.

The hawk was admitted into the wildlife rehabilitation clinic July 23, O’Connell said. “It was found by a team of landscapers in Bantam on the side of the road, most likely struck by a car. It was a first-year bird, and did not yet have adult plumage. It could not fly or perch and was underweight, but it recovered very nicely in the rehab clinic and was released on the Audubon property on August 12.â€

A week later, on Thursday, Aug. 20, the staff released the two owls back into the wild.

“I hope they’ll be OK,†O’Connell said. “They were finding their own prey and flying very well. I think they have a good shot.â€

According to the  Web site at sharon.audubon.org, the center admits approximately 200 birds, mammals and reptiles to its wildlife rehabilitation program. The goal of the program is to provide care and treatment to orphaned and injured wildlife and release them back into the wild.

Most rehabilitators provide their services on a volunteer basis.

For information on the Sharon Audubon Center, call 860-364-0520.