Volunteers with the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay continue to search for a missing Great Horned Owl.
The owl named “Charlie” disappeared from its enclosure in Brandon during Tropical Storm Debby earlier this month.
Nancy Murrah is the founder of the Raptor Center of Tampa Bay. She has cared for Charlie since he was six weeks old.
“He’s a large owl. He has what you think of as tufts, a lot of people call them ears, the proper term is actually plumicorns,” said Nancy Murrah.
Charlie is also blind in his right eye. He was rescued four years ago when a stray cat clawed his eye, damaging his eyesight.
He can fly, but he wears anklets and jesses (falconry equipment).
“A lot of times, he will respond to his name. He has been used as an education bird. He’s been around a lot of kids. He’s been around a lot of people, educated tons of people on the birds of prey,” said Murrah.
WFTS The Great Horned Owl was spotted on Tuesday in the Providence Lakes neighborhood in Brandon. Volunteers confirmed the sighting after someone snapped a photo of the bird on a fence.