The ragged, fire-singed barn owl scooted to the back of its cage, shaking its head and lifting its featherless wings as far out as it could.
The stance is a defense mechanism, explained Dr. Scott Weldy, a wildlife veterinarian treating the owl at his Lake Forest clinic.
“It is trying to make itself as big as it can,” Weldy said. “It’s still adjusting to being in captivity.”
The creme-and-white feathered barn owl has been at the Serrano Animal & Bird Hospital since Tuesday, Oct. 27, after it was rescued by an Orange County Fire Authority engine company from the burnt aftermath of the Silverado Fire.
Saving the owl
The firefighters, based out of OCFA Fire Station 70 in Santa Ana, were patrolling Tuesday through the Orchard Hills neighborhood of Irvine looking for spot fires. The terrain had been wiped out by a massive firestorm whipped into a frenzy by high and sporadic winds that left the ground looking like a charred moonscape.
“It looked like a bomb had dropped,” OCFA Engineer Frank Granados said. “With the winds, it was like a blow torch came through here. There were embers everywhere.”
Firefighter/Paramedic Justin Chapman was the first to notice the signature heart-shaped face looking out from beneath a half-burned bush.
“When the fires happen, a lot of rodents and small animals get exposed,” Granados said. “And, you’ll see an increase in hawk activity. We all saw it and figured it was just there getting lunch.”
The crew continued on putting out spot fires. Three hours later, as they headed back, the owl was still there.
“It stood out because it was white against all the black,” Granados said. “We wondered that it was still there and thought maybe it was trying to stay out of the sun.”
Dressed in full gear, the firefighters went over to investigate. As they got closer to the bush, the owl started trying to run.
“We saw it open its left wing, and it wasn’t functioning,” Granados said. “It was screeching and trying to lift the wing. I looked over at the guys and said, ‘Have you ever caught a chicken?’”
The firefighters made a plan to herd it toward an open area and then flank it. Granados, Chapman and firefighter Bruce Hale took their positions.
The owl tried a few maneuvers, but the firefighters won out. When it realized it was cornered, it took the defensive posture. That’s when Chapman tossed his lightweight jacket on top of the bird and quickly bundled it up.
Once secured, the firefighters called the incident commander and asked for animal control to come out for the injured owl. In minutes, Jan Mandel, an officer with Irvine Animal Control, was taking the injured owl to Weldy’s clinic.
Recovery and prognosis
“I don’t know how he got to a safe area,” said Weldy, who has treated raptors for decades. “All the flight feathers are gone. It looks like a bat; the quill is there, but the feathers are gone.”
After the bird was checked for any other burn areas, it was given fluids for hydration along with some pain medication. The treatment was repeated several times over the next few days.
As of Friday, the owl hadn’t eaten on its own, but Weldy said that it is not atypical for a wild animal that suddenly finds itself in captivity.
So, he’s getting some assistance from his caretakers. Getting him to eat on his own will be key — then his follow-up treatment can be planned.
The raptors Weldy rescues and treats eventually end up at the 1.7-acre Bird of Prey Center near Lake Forest. There many recover and are set free – the Cleveland National Forest is not far away.
But most of the large cages are outside and those inside aren’t heated, so a question with the newest patient is: Where will he be housed?
“He may have damage to the feather follicle,” Weldy said. “Wing feathers are insulators for these guys. They keep them warm. This guy may not be able to handle the coolness of winter. He may have to have adaptive housing.”
Raptors typically molt at certain times of the year, so Weldy expects it will be months before the owl’s feathers return.
Still, the prognosis is favorable, he said.
“This guy was lucky he didn’t burn up, he was lucky he got picked up, and he was lucky he got transferred here,” Weldy said.
For the firefighters, the rescue will always be special.
“It was my first time interacting with a barn owl,” Granados said. “It was the first time catching an owl. They’re special. They’re part of the circle of life.”
