Saw-whet Owl

A northern saw-whet owl was brought to Lindsay Wildlife Museum’s hospital in February after being found on a road near Port Costa. The tiny owl, weighing only as much as 15 quarters, had probably been hit by a car. The finders were surprised to find out the strange-looking thing in the road was an adult owl.

Northern saw-whet owls are not common in the Bay Area and we see few in the wildlife hospital. They can sometimes be heard, but are rarely seen, in the Oakland and Berkeley hills.

The bird had a swollen left shoulder and an injured left eye. After receiving pain medication and antibiotic ointment for its eye for several days, the bird was placed in a large outdoor aviary to make sure it had perfect flight and could find food. All was well and the owl was released back in Port Costa in early March.