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| Hooter It all began with a call from our vet saying he had a bird that needed us. When I arrived Doc opened a little box with a very small downy bird in it. It was the size of a grapefruit! It looked up at me with those big owl eyes and it was all over! Doc was not sure of the species or if it was a male or a female, but thought it might be a Great Horned Owl. So small that he was not sure it would make it. Home I went with my little treasure! We named her Hooter in hopes that she would grow and sing ha song for all to hear. We fed her cut up pieces of sterile, frozen (we defrosted them first) mice that we ordered from a lab in NJ. Hooter thrived and grew on them. I did some research to find out just what a mama owl would do and where she would keep her chicks. We covered our floor with poly and news paper then built her a little nest with split wood formed into a circle. Hooter was very content to stay right there. At night she would often sit with me on the couch while we watched TV. I would place my bent arm over her like her mama would put her under her wing and life was good. Exercise class took place 3 times a day. I would place her on my arm and lower it so she would extend her little wings to strengthen them for flight. We knew she would make it when she started to regurgitate what looked like fur balls. Owls keep there food in a sac above their tummy and there it is broken up. The parts that can be digested go on and the parts that cannot come up. It is much like your kitty’s hair balls. Owls can not pant or sweat so they drop their wings (they almost look dislocated) to cool themselvs. As she grew and started to loose her fluff feathers she began to get adventuress so Chuck built a perch out of a tree with a half log on top. This gave her a new outlook on life. We tethered her as you would a falcon with a long lead of rawhide attached to a bracelet around her leg. Hooter and our cat got along great in the house but out doors they kept their distance. Hooters appetite had increased to 2 mice a day. At last the day come for her first outing. Hunting had to be taught if she were to survive in the wild so we brought her onto the front lawn and put her down. I attached a mouse to a string and popped it around in front of her. She played like a cat with it till she figured it out. Tossing it was the next step and she went for it! Survival skills learned we moved onto flight lessons. Her wings were strong from exercise and we knew she had it in her! Both the male and female have the same coloring and markings. Males have a 5FT wingspan and females have a 6FT wing span. We measured Hooter and alas she was indeed a female. She wanted to stay with us but as time that natural hunger for freedom toke over and she flew into a tree. I must admit we had tears of joy and sorrow to see her leave. Hooter came home each night and would stand on our deck and peck on the glass slider for a mouse. That changed to every few days then weeks till we saw her no more. We did receive a call from a local farmer telling us hooter had taken up residence in his barn. He loved it! No more mice! She later was reported to have a mate and flew off with him. I see her once in a while on top of a pole but I will not call to her. (They never forget their mama) We are happy to get a glance now and again. Hooter Brought us much joy. When she was still comming home for weekly visits she would sit on our deck with us or come in the house and sit on the back of a chair for just a little (we put news paper under it just in case. YUK) She was a full time, 24 hour a day, 7 day's a week loving endeavor by our entire family as were most of the wonderful animals that have come into our home. At night when you hear an owl please think of Hooter. We do hope you have enjoyed Hooter's story. by; Joanne |