A typical family hike for Brad Imhoff at Sanchion Lewis Park in Granville became a raptor rescue in April when he found an injured great horned owl on a trail. After a successful rehabilitation at the Wildlife Hospital, the owl had its happy ending when it was released back to its habitat in July.
Imhoff, an avid birder and nature photographer, had set out with four-year-old son Trek and one-year-old daughter Denali on a short trail they visit often. Not far from the trailhead they noticed a great horned owl on a fence post at mid-morning.
“It hopped off the fence, was clearly hopping and not flying,” Imhoff said. “I knew something was wrong, but I didn’t know who to call for help.” After making some initial calls without success, he contacted Ohio Wildlife Center volunteer Kristi Krumlauf, who then alerted the Center’s rescue volunteer team.
Imhoff and his family kept an eye on the owl until volunteer Dave Wood arrived to help and transport the owl to the Wildlife Hospital.
The medical exam at the hospital indicated the owl had a fracture in the left wing, minor eye trauma and was thin and dehydrated. Treatment included a wing wrap to stabilize the fracture, anti-inflammatory and pain medication, eye drops, subcutaneous fluids and tube feeding. After over a month of hospital care, the owl was ready to make its transition to the Center’s Pre-Release Facility to regain flying and hunting skills and complete its full recovery.
The owl logged about two months at the Pre-Release Facility, where it was paired with a juvenile great horned owl also in recovery. “Because young owls imprint easily, the older owl was placed with the juvenile as a surrogate parent so the younger bird had an owl mentor,” said Casey Philips, director of the Wildlife Hospital. This cross fostering is beneficial for both birds and is a common rehabilitation practice to provide owl behavior reinforcement for the juvenile that is temporarily in care, she added.
When the release date was set, both owls were released the same day back at Sanchion Lewis Park.
Great horned owls are the largest of Ohio’s resident owls. They were once abundant in the state, but habitat loss has caused decreasing numbers in the state, according to the Ohio Division of Wildlife. With a variety of calls, these raptors are talented hunters and considered the top bird of prey, fearing no creatures but humans.
The experience is one that Imhoff said truly benefitted his children as well. “Had we not taken the time to wait and find assistance for the owl, it would not have survived,” he said. “It was a cool moment to be at the release so they could see how it turned out,” he said. Since the rescue, his son has participated in Ohio Wildlife Center’s summer camp and the family has attended Second Sunday open houses. “We are very connected now to Ohio Wildlife Center,” he added.
To learn more about getting involved with Ohio Wildlife Center, visit this page or click here to donate.
Photos and video by Chris Brinkman