...about your dad!

I enjoy owls. We do owl rescue when needed. We've taken in quite a few small owls that are hit, and stunned by, cars. Luckily, most recover over night.

The last owl that we had, though, was here so long that the local wild animal rehab (you have to work with one to help an owl recover, by law.) gave us frozen rodents for feeding, which he never liked.

Previously, we set lines of traps to catch him around 3 a day. As we caught more, the traps had to go farther and farther away, in order to catch any. Finally, we went to check our traps one night, and a skunk was there to take it, and defend it! Our traps were too far out. So, the rehab people offered the frozen version.

At that point, it was 'owl season' where too many owls are hit by cars for the vets, and we were told that this owl, who had a damaged eye and needed longer term care - months - would be put down by the vet. So, we kept him for a few months, and released him finally. We heard him hunting over the house and property for a long time, so he did well back in the wild.

Most people don't know how many rodents owls eat, but a small owl can eat upwards of 90 a month. That's close to 1,100 a year - per owl!