As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Monday 26 November 2012

Rare snowy owl faces difficult recovery


Seeing a rare bird isn't always a feather in a birdwatcher's cap.

Denise Lewis of Bellevue has seen two snowy owls — an Arctic bird with radiant white plumage — in Nebraska this month. She hopes that they are the last.

Lewis, outreach coordinator for Raptor Recovery Nebraska, retrieved an ailing, female snowy owl from the grounds of the Hilton Omaha downtown at midday Monday. The raptor is believed to be the same bird that perched on the back side of the CenturyLink Center Omaha, thrilling dozens of attendees during a regional dog show Friday.

Lewis said the owl was severely emaciated and dehydrated.

“She's in such bad shape that I can't feed her,” Lewis said. “She's full of parasites, mites and flies.”

Lewis said she would try to nurse the bird back to strength with electrolytes and vitamins for a few days before attempting to offer it solid food. If it survives, Lewis planned to take the owl to Raptor Recovery's center near Lincoln later this week.

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