UPDATE: 03/25/2018 - This bird has found a new home at the Blandford Nature Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. We wish him well in his new education role!
Soarin' Hawk received a call to rescue a small owl that was down on the ground with a drooping wing.
I arrived at the home in Northwest Allen County and was advised the homeowner had gone out to clear the snow and saw the owl alongside the driveway. He picked the owl up and placed it near a fir tree by the house. By the time I had arrived the eastern screech owl had climbed the fir tree and was very well hidden. I gently removed the owl from the tree and did a brief exam. The left wing was drooping and could not be spread as far as the right one could. The owl was able to grip my gloves when it was placed into a transport case for transportation to Soarin' Hawk's Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Further exam at the ICU indicated an open fracture of the left humerous (upper arm bone). Other than being quite quiet, no other injuries were noted. Antibiotics, pain/anti-inflammation medications, and fluids were administered after tape splinting the left wing to the body. Radiographs will be obtained Tuesday, and Dr. Funnell will then determine the best treatment options.
Unfortunately, he had a fracture in the elbow joint that left him non-releasable. He did have surgery to stabilize the fracture. If it heals with no movement in the joint and he is not painful long-term, we will try and find a permanent home for him.
The pin that was placed into this bird's humerus was pulled on January 29th. Although this bird has improved over the past few weeks, he is unable to be released back into the wild. As a result, anklets and jesses were placed and he is currently with a volunteer being trained to the glove.