**Foxy the Great Horned Owl**

We had a Great Horned Owl chick that came into care as a nestling on Easter Sunday, 2023, at 9:30 p.m. The owlet had been on the ground for three days before being discovered. Upon intake, it was in extremely poor condition—weak, dehydrated, and unable to stand.

Pulling this little one through would require a lot of hard work, time, prayers, and a bit of luck. When birds are cold, they cannot digest food, so rehabilitators advise finders to place them in a warm, dry, and quiet area without food or water, away from pets, wildlife, people, and children.

We first needed to warm the chick in an incubator before starting to feed it. Since the chick had been without food for so long, it was crucial to provide fluids before feeding.

Being so thin and weak, we mixed electrolytes with water and warmed the fluids. We administered the fluids orally, a little at a time, to avoid aspiration. During the first night, we had to get up every 20 minutes to give the chick fluids. By morning, the owlet was sitting in a crouched position, a significant improvement from its previous inability to stand.

The next step was to get food into her.

In the wild, parent owls hunt and provide food for their chicks by tearing it into bite-sized pieces. Since she had been without food for several days, we wanted to ensure that she derived all the benefits from the recovery food, which meant we removed the bones and fur from the mice.

When eating, the bones and fur of mice, as well as feathers and bones of birds that cannot be processed, are converted into pellets by specialized organs—the proventriculus (or glandular stomach) and the ventriculus (or stomach). These organs help break down food, and any indigestible remains are compacted into a pellet and later expelled by the owls. We frequently provided small meals of chopped mice to the owlet. After a week, we began leaving the fur on the mice.

Foxy was kept in the incubator for about a month. During that time, her bedding consisted of puppy pads, which are very absorbent and help prevent a condition called bumblefoot. As the owlet grew, her appetite increased to about 100 mice per week. While inside the incubator, we played recordings of Great Horned Owl songs for her each night. We also placed a color picture of a female Great Horned Owl on the door of the incubator.

After a month, she was moved into a larger enclosure measuring approximately 5 feet by 4 feet by 4 feet. At that point, she continued to grow and change. Based on her weight and size, we believe the owl is female. She was found in Fox Hill, Hampton, Virginia. Due to her location and striking appearance, we named her Foxy. Names are given to help distinguish birds from one another, making it easier to track each bird of the same species while in care. Despite having a designated name, Foxy is not a pet; our goal is to prepare her for her return to the wild.

Foxy spent about a month in the smaller enclosure, consuming around 12 mice a day. Her feathers were coming in, and each day, Foxy appeared less like the fluffy owlet she once was and more like the beautiful predator she was meant to become. She practiced essential skills such as perching, eating whole mice, grasping food with her feet, and strengthening her wings in preparation for flight.

Foxy’s final step before release was a 30-foot flight enclosure. She has grown up, learned to hunt, and tested her flying ability to prepare for her return to the wild. We are currently waiting for the weather to cooperate so we can release her back to where she was found.

I am thrilled to announce that Foxy, the Great Horned Owl, has returned to the wild with your help and support. It was a long journey filled with sleepless nights, hard work, and emotional moments (for us, not her). When we brought her home for her release, her finders were overjoyed at the sight of her. They couldn't believe how beautiful she had grown and were moved to tears as they watched her take flight into freedom.

Raising Foxy

The Early Bird Should Not Get the Worm