Editor’s Note: The Great Horned Owl is part of the CROW CAW (Case A Week) series, which tells the stories of the patients at the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife on Sanibel Island, the dangers they face, and how we can help protect all of our wildlife. Read previous cases here.
Two great horned owls (25-4768, 25-4769) were brought into the Clinic for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife (CROW) at the beginning of December.
They were found grounded at a construction site, covered in mud and concrete dust. Both birds had some bruising and skin irritation around their nares and mouth. After the initial exams, each bird was bathed to clean off the mud. They were given subcutaneous fluids for their mild dehydration, and their scrapes were cleaned and treated with a topical antiseptic ointment.
One of the owls (25-4769) had a moderate amount of what was suspected to be either cement or mud in its nasal cavity, so it received follow-up nasal flushes…