Extreme Home Makeover

From WRA of Rhode Island

On Monday, we responded to a call about a young great horned owl in distress. Its nest had completely fallen, leaving the fragile chick displaced and vulnerable. Wild babies are always best raised by their parents, so renesting was our top priority. However, rebuilding a nest 30 feet up in a tree is no small task. In the world of wildlife rehabilitation, collaboration is everything, so we turned to our incredible colleagues at A Place Called Hope, renowned experts in raptor rehabilitation. Each year, they successfully perform over 20 renests throughout CT, and without hesitation, they agreed to help us.

On Tuesday, our teams met, and with skill and precision, the APCH crew raised and secured a newly built platform nest high in the tree, carefully placing the young back where they belonged. All the while, the parents remained nearby, watching and, remarkably, within an hour of completing the renest, mom returned to the nest! Since then, we've received confirmation that both parents have been actively attending to the nest, ensuring their babies are safe and cared for. We truly couldn't have asked for a better play of events

As we always say, teamwork makes the dream work! This incredible success would not have been possible without the dedication and expertise of both teams. We are deeply grateful to APCH and their outstanding climbing team-Todd Secki (Climber One), Alex Brune (Climber Two), Vickie Silvia (Rope Crew), and Terry Shaw (Rope Crew)-for their dedication and collaboration. We also extend thanks to the property owner for recognizing intervention was needed, and in allowing us access to make this rescue possible, and continuing to keep an eye on this little owl family.