Screech owl admitted covered in paint
By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital
An eastern screech owl was among the 69 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week.
The eastern screech owl was left incapacitated after flying into a freshly painted cement wall. The ventral surface of the owl’s body, particularly the head, was coated in white paint. The owl was lying motionless on its side in the transport box when brought to the hospital. The only positive note in this story was that the paint was a non-oil based paint which we were told would wash off with water.
Hospital staff administered eye drops and eye ointment and placed the owl in an intensive care unit to rest. A check on the owl a few hours later showed the owl was standing with its eyes open, already preening to remove the paint from its’ chest feathers. The owl was given a warm water bath which removed the majority of the paint from the feathers. The owl was offered a diet and left to rest overnight.
The following morning the owl was alert and reactive and had eaten part of its diet. A complete eye exam was performed to ensure no damage or ulcers had developed from contact with the paint. After staff removed the remaining paint from the feathers on the owl’s head, the owl was returned to its enclosure and was offered a large, shallow bowl of water for bathing. Handling was able to be kept to a minimum since the owl was eating on its own.
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Day three at the hospital showed a bright, alert and responsive owl. With the feathers cleaned of all paint, the owl was cleared for release.
Random situations such as this can happen. Thankfully, the quick thinking painter saw the owl hit the wall and took action to contain the bird and bring it to the hospital for care.
Please, if you see an animal in distress, offer assistance. If you are unsure of what to do, keep an eye on the animal while calling the wildlife hospital for guidance. Hospital staff will evaluate the situation and determine the appropriate action needed to ensure the animal receives the help it needs.
Recent Releases
Five brown pelicans, two mourning doves, a purple gallinule, six eastern cottontails, a ring-billed gull, a Florida softshell turtle, an eastern screech owl, a gopher tortoise, a laughing gull and a marsh rabbit were released this past week.
Opportunities to Help
Visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org to view all of the amazing volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Your volunteer time, donations, and memberships help us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife and future.
