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SNOWy Returns to the Tundra

On December 1, 2020, we received a call from Topeka, IN about a snowy owl caught in a barbed wire fence. Bill Oberg brought the owl to our ICU, where she was found to be in good shape, except for a wound on her wing.

Over the next 5 months, our vet, Dr. Riebe, vet tech Maraiah Russell, and our dedicated ICU staff monitored and treated her, cleaning and debriding the wound on her wing each week then, when her wing had sufficiently healed, watching and evaluating her in our flight pen to help her gain strength and, finally, imping her tail feathers so she could be released now, instead of waiting for her to grow new feathers.

Exactly 5 months to the day of her admission, on May 1, Sue Hansen and Bill drove her to Mount Pleasant, MI to give her a "head start" on her migration back north. Thanks to the people from Isabella County, Michigan, who were instrumental in finding a safe place for the release.

Another Screeching Success

This beautiful little screech came to us on Dec. 9, 2020, victim of a probable car strike. It took 3 months, but he's back home now!

Redtail Hightails it Home

On March 6, 2021, we said our goodbyes to this beautiful red-tailed hawk, as rescuers Jill & Dan Devine brought him back to Geneva, IN, where he was found by two friends who were hiking. About 8 people were there besides Jill and Dan. The release was a birthday surprise for one of the gentlemen who had rescued this RTHA!

Screech Goes Home

This little guy came to us on December 15, 2020, with an eye injury. After nearly 3 months with us, he passed his flight and feeding tests, so it was time for him to go home. Volunteers Nancy and Kristen Wilder released him where he was found.

Screeches Screeching Back at Home

On 12-11-2020, our rescue line got a call from Monroeville, IN. The caller stated a little screech owl had been sitting outside his house not moving for a few hours. Bill & Sue drove over and picked it up from an extremely friendly gentleman. He indicated it just did not want to fly. They gave the caller our brochures and told him how to check out the status of this little screech owl online. He also indicated that they had seen a nesting pair in their woods and would like to have the bird released back in their area. After several days under observation to be sure there were no injuries, and that he could fly well and find food, the little owl was ready to go home. Sue and Bill took him back to Monroeville, and filed this report:

This was one of the best releases we have done.  Most of these folks were related.  We arrived and waited for other neighbors to arrive.  The caller's dad and grandmother were present.  As you can see from the video, the bird came right… more

Bye, bye, GHOW

On July 21, 2020, the rescue line received a call from Wolcottville, IN about an owl caught in a barbed wire fence. Rescuer Louie Lee picked the bird up and brought it to ICU. Luckily, he had no broken bones, but the soft tissue on his wing was very red and swollen. He spent several months with us, but was fully recovered in December and, on December 19, volunteer Kristen Werling released him near where he was found. The original finders were concerned about the owl eating their chickens and did not want to be present at the release nor did they want him released on their property. The owl was hesitant to leave the box but eventually flew off, crossed a field, and settled into a wooded area on the other side of a creek.

Happy Thanksgiving, Little Screech

On November 19th, we received a call about an eastern screech owl that had been sitting on someone's front porch in Huntertown, Indiana. The homeowner said that the owl had been there for approximately six hours. Volunteer Emily reported that the owl wasn't startled when she came near him, and he seemed dazed. She was able to walk over to the owl and pick him up. Emily brought him to our ICU, where an examination revealed that the owl was healthy, and had no injuries, so we moved him to our rehabilitation enclosures to be observed for a few days to ensure it could fly well and find food on its own.

On Thanksgiving Day, he was released back to his home where, despite running into a screen door on his way out of the transport box, he flew beautifully.

Another Thanksgiving Screech Release

On the night of November 18th, 2020, Jeanne found an Eastern Screech Owl lying on the ground below her window. We were contacted and volunteer Louie Lee went to rescue the bird the next morning. Upon his arrival, Jeanne had the owl contained in a cardboard box. The more Louie disturbed the bird, the more active it became. Louie transported the little guy to our ICU where (hooray!) no injuries were found. We kept him for a few days in one of our rehab enclosures, where he had the company of another screech owl that was brought in the same day, with similar symptoms. After we were sure he could fly well and find food, he was ready for release. He was released where he came from on Thanksgiving Day.

Another Barred Owl Goes Home

On October 4, 2020, Paul S. saw this owl standing along the side of the road in Huntington, completely soaked. Paul picked up the owl and got it out of the rain, then called the sheriff, who gave him the phone number for our rescue line. Paul wanted the bird to get fast treatment, so he graciously offered to drive it from Huntington to our treatment facility in Huntertown. An examination revealed that the owl was young, and had sustained head trauma. It had blood it its right eye and some possible nerve damage to its right leg. Our ICU staff began treatment immediately, first by giving fluids and pain medications to help stabilize it, then treating its eye injuries. (Sometimes head trauma and the accompanying swelling can cause partial or full blindness. When this is the case, vision can return after the swelling goes down. Such was the case with this guy.)

On October 24, he was moved to our rehabilitation facility, where he regained flight strength over time, and showed us… more

Bye, bye, Barred!

On October 6, 2020, the hawkphone received a call from the South Bend Animal Shelter about a barred owl. Volunteer Gary Carlson took the bird to our treatment facility, where it appeared to have diminished vision in both eyes. After a week, he started to find food on his own in his enclosure, so he was moved to our rehabilitation facility and after he acclimated he was moved to our flight pen, where he showed us he could find food on his own.

On October 30, Bill Oberg brought this little owl back to South Bend, where Gary released him close to where he was found.

A Very Special Release - Great Horned Owl 09232020

This adult Great Horned Owl has completed its recovery / rehabilitation and was released today very near to where it was picked up. 

As a special note, this release was sponsored by an individual in memory of Garry and Dawn's Son, Chris

Another Happy Ending!

On September 24, 2020, the rescue line received a call from Mike in Churubusco. He had found a screech owl in the middle of a road and appeared dazed. They indicated he flew a little bit but came right back down and they were able to go pick him up. An exam showed a small abrasion in its left eye, which we treated with medication for pain and an antibiotic.

Owl Stuck in Car Grille Goes Home

On September 7, 2020, the hawkphone received a call from Abby. She said she had hit an owl the night before. She went home, and when she went out to her garage the next morning to go to work, she found a young great horned owl stuck in the grille of her car, still alive! We dispatched Bill Oberg to South Whitley to pick up the owl, and - after a struggle to get the bird out of Abby's grille - Bill brought the youngster to our ICU where, miraculously, he was found to have some neurological issues due to hanging from the grille all night, but otherwise his injuries were minor. Over the next few weeks, he recuperated, and when he was ready, he went to our rehab facility, where he spent some time in our flight pen. Once he showed that he could fly well, and catch food, he was ready to go.

A Triple Release!

On September 16, 2020, three great horned owl youngsters were released back to the wild in South Whitley, IN. The three came to us as babies, and grew up together. All flew high and away. It was a beautiful sight!

07272020 Red-Tailed Hawk Has Left the Building

A mass text went out Monday morning to collect a bird that had been found and confined in Goshen, Indiana. I must have had the fastest thumbs texting back that I can leave in 10 minutes. Turns out the route to Goshen was plagued with detours and GPS issues but I located the correct address 1.5 hours later. The bird, an adult Red Tail Hawk, was confined in a cool dark room. He appeared to have injuries to one leg and one wing. This bird came to us very lethargic. An initial exam revealed no injuries. We treated this adult hawk with medication for possible pain and gave it food and fluids.

Young Barred Owl goes Home

The Snavelys from Wabash County called Soarin Hawk on 6/18/20 to report this Barred Owl on the ground. Upon arrival he was identified as a baby. The Owl was taken to Soarin Hawk’s ICU facility, where he was found to have a right wing fracture at mid-shaft as well as a fractured beak at the tip. The owl was treated and his wing was wrapped to immobilize the fractured area, then was taken to our veterinarian to identify any other problems and decide on a course of treatment..

X-rays revealed a fracture of the radius and ulna, but the vet thought the bones could be pinned to stabilize them. This was a difficult fracture because as the bones heal they can fuse together, which makes the bird unable to fly. We began physical therapy very quickly on this bird to attempt to keep this from happening. On 07/19/2020 the pins were successfully removed, and physical therapy and pain medication were continued. Then, on 08/03/2020 he was moved to our rehabilitation facility for observation… more

Chicken-Eating Great Horned Owl Released

Received a call to retrieve a Great Horned Owl in a yard. When we arrived the bird had been confined under a box. When we removed the box ever so carefully, the owl escaped and started to run towards a four lane highway. We looked like the keystone cops running after him to turn him around. He finally turned around and ran back under our car. We chased him out from there and he ran out into the field again. We used the caller to help surround him. John, our caller was able to throw a towel over him and that allowed me to go grab him. We finally were able to put him in a box. Prior to us leaving a women pulled up in a car behind us and mentioned she wanted a picture of him because he had been taking her chickens, some 6 of them. They actually wanted him released back in the same area. He went back to ICU for triage by Kim and Cassidy. A vet visit showed he had a bruised and swollen left elbow. We wrapped his wing to keep it still so it could recover.

08192020 Red-Tailed Hawk Flies the Coop!

On August 19, Soarin’ Hawk received a call from Amy at Black Pines Sanctuary in Albion about a red tailed hawk that had been brought to the sanctuary by a gentleman who had found it on the side of the road. Black Pine was getting ready to close for the day, but Amy kindly consented to wait until our rescuer got there to pick up the bird.

When volunteer Vanessa got there to pick up the hawk, Amy commented she was more alert than an hour and half before. We were able to transfer from one carrier to another without incident; she did seem to favor her left leg and would not stand on it.

Vanessa took it to our treatment facility for evaluation, where staff was unable to find any issues with the adult hawk. She may have been stunned by a car strike. She was given fluids and medications, and kept under observation.

Three days later, she was moved to our rehabilitation facility, where she was observed further and flight tested, and was ready for release on August 30.… more

Red-Tailed Hawk 07082020 Returns to Wild

On July 8, 2020, volunteer Bill Oberg went to Berne at 6:30 am to pick up a Redtail from Adams county Sheriffs office. He met Sheriff Dan, who ushered him into a backroom where they had the hawk in a cat carrier. Someone had found it and called them to pick it up. The bird appeared to have a bad right wing, so he was taken to our ICU for examination.. X-ray showed a fractured right radius. He was treated for pain and given an antibiotic, and his wing was wrapped to stabilize the fracture. Nearly a month later, he was x-rayed again, and his fracture was healed enough to remove the wing wrap and start physical therapy. After therapy, he went to our rehab facility, where he gained strength to begin practice flying. He got stronger, and when he showed us he was strong enough, it was time for him to return home. He was released in a beautiful park in Adams County, Indiana.

Baby Barred Owl #2 Goes Home

On May 2, 2020, volunteer Lana received a call from a relative, saying she had a friend with a baby owl that had been orphaned. Lana drove to Lagrange, IN, where Linda, the property owner, said she watches the owls and keeps track of them. This baby Barred Owl had been on the ground for two days and had not moved more than two feet. Linda had not seen an adult owl for at least two days. When volunteer Louie approached the baby he was met with beak snapping, and it appeared aware of its surroundings. Louie thought the keel was average; Lana thought it was narrow. They collected the owl and transported it to our I.C.U., where it was examined by Diana and Nancy, but no injuries were found, but the eyes appeared cloudy blueish. After the bird was weighed he accepted two mice, cut into small portions. On 05/06/2020, the little owlet moved to Barb's home, where it had the company of one of our adult barred owls. Then, a month later, he and his adult role model went to our… more