Latest news with #TamarackWildlifeCenter
Yahoo
04-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
We're owl in this together: Electric company helps renest healed birds
When Tamarack Wildlife Center (TWC) got not one but two calls about owlets falling out of nests and injuring themselves within the span of a couple of weeks, it hatched a plan to rehabilitate and renest the youngsters. Great Horned Owls have the earliest hatching period, but the early bird doesn't always get the worm — sometimes, it gets a fracture. The first owl was admitted in early March after falling from its nest in Cambridge Springs and fracturing its wing. Although the cause is unknown, TWC said the severe storms might have played a part. The second owl was admitted in early April and was a week younger than the first. It fell from its nest in Kennerdell and also fractured a wing. The two owlets were housed together for company and wore matching wing splints until it was time to re-enter the wild, about 6 weeks later. 'It's not unusual for us to treat orphaned or injured young wildlife,' said Carol Holmgren, TWC executive director and licensed wildlife rehabilitator. 'It's less common for us to be able to treat a young animal with an injury such as a fracture and help it get healthy in time to be able to reunite it with its family because there's a specific window of time during which we can reunite.' Only one other time in Holmgren's 20 years at TWC has she been able to rehabilitate a bird with a fracture and reunite it with family, and that was a bald eagle chick. Fortunately for TWC staff, Great Horned Owls spend the longest period with their parents of any owl species. However, young animals often learn by observing and imitating their caregivers, so it's important for them to be around their species. 'The other thing that made both of these renestings possible is both of the parents remained in parenting mode,' Holmgren said. The property owner of the Cambridge Springs nest confirmed that there was still another chick in the nest, so the birds were still in parenting mode. Great Horned Owls will tend to any young in their vicinity, so placing both owlets with the one's family would not be an issue. The owlets endured about four weeks of physical therapy and splinting to ensure their bones were strong and full range of motion had returned, then it was time to go home. 'We wanted to erect a nest basket,' Holmgren explained. 'The age that we were returning these owls is one they would benefit from being able to rest in a nest and very shortly, they'd be ready to branch out.' 'Branching,' Holmgren explained, is when a bird hops out of the nest to perch and flap its wings for a while before returning to the nest for a nap. Given the typography of the tree, though, TWC needed a little help. A little bird told the Northwestern Rural Electric Cooperative (NREC), and they willingly joined the project with their bucket truck. On a warm day, Gary Lilly and Camden Mattocks of NREC secured an artificial nest basket in the Cambridge Springs tree. 'Partnering with NREC made me very excited and grateful,' Holmgren said. 'We can do greater good when we work together than by ourselves.' TWC does not receive state or federal funding, so it relies on community partners to lend a hand. The birds were returned to the family at 5 and 6 weeks old and will now be a family of three owlets, which is common for the Great Horned Owl species. By 9 weeks, the owlets are expected to be following their parents around and flying.
CBS News
21-04-2025
- General
- CBS News
Here's how you can help name the U.S. Steel eaglet
The eaglet in the U.S. Steel nest is getting bigger, which means it's time for a name. The Tamarack Wildlife Center is holding a fundraiser where eagle fans can pay to vote for a name for USS 8 . Voting ends on April 30, and the winner will be announced the next day. Names on the ballot include nods to the number eight, like Ocho and Hachi, since this eaglet is the eighth one to hatch at U.S. Steel's Irvin Plant in West Mifflin. Steel and Infinity are on the list, as well as Starsky and Ikuzo. Proceeds will go to the Tamarack Wildlife Center in Crawford County, which cared for a U.S. Steel fledgling that fell out of the nest in 2022, damaging her flight and tail feathers. After three months in treatment, the young eagle, named Rosie, was successfully released. Last year's eaglet, USS 7, was named Lucky. Seven was a bit of a lucky number for the eaglet. Born on April 7, she was the seventh eaglet to hatch at the nest. It took Lucky 77 days to fledge, and $7,000 was raised in a contest to pick her name. Irvin and Stella laid three eggs this year, but only one hatched on March 27. While it's the sixth season at the nest for Irvin, Stella replaced Claire, who left the nest late last year. The nest was built in 2019, and a wildlife camera has been livestreaming the family since 2021.
CBS News
11-03-2025
- General
- CBS News
Great horned owlet reunited with family in Schenley Park after falling 100 feet from nest
A young great horned owl that fell over 100 feet from a nest on Pittsburgh's Panther Hollow Bridge has been reunited with her family. The Tamarack Wildlife Center, which has been caring for the owlet since her fall in February, said in an update on Tuesday that they used an artificial nest to return her to her family. While receiving treatment for a beak and tongue wound, the wildlife center made sure that she didn't imprint on humans because it was important to get her back with her parents. "Great Horned Owls spend more time with their young than any other owl species in Pennsylvania, which is difficult to replicate in rehabilitation, so every effort is made to reunite young Great Horned Owls either with their family or a wild foster family," the wildlife center wrote in a Facebook post. "Six months or more are spent supporting their young and teaching them hunting skills, before encouraging their young to disperse in the fall." Teamwork returns the Schenley Park owlet to her family! With her medical care complete, we are pleased to share that... Posted by Tamarack Wildlife Center on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 Rescuers, officials and volunteers used a bucket truck to secure a fake nest near the roost tree of the owlet's dad, which is within sight of the nest where her other sibling is. A member of the city's forestry team then grabbed the owlet, took her up and placed her in the nest. Now at six weeks old, the wildlife center says the owlet doesn't need incubation. When she calls for food, her parents will respond by bringing it to her. Rescuers will set up a game camera to make sure her parents are responding. At this age, the owlet will start leaving the nest to perch on a nearby branch before returning home for a nap. Over the next three to four weeks, she'll practice perching, hopping, flapping and making short flights before she's able to fly around nine weeks old. "Thank you to everyone who has supported this owlet's treatment and re-nesting. Those visiting Schenley Park can assist by giving the owl family privacy and space," the wildlife center said.
