Pygmy Owl Prisoner

Johnny called today from a neighbor's saying that a Pygmy Owl had managed to get itself trapped in a chicken-wire enclosure and was clinging to the wire. The neighbor thought it was a baby owl of some kind and could not fly so caught it as it clung to the wire and put it into a cage. But not before it sank its talons into his ungloved hand. Johnny had to pry the bird off.

The neighbor's son and daughter-in-law were there and also proclaiming it to be a baby owl so Johnny told them he would ask me to come up and I would know. I have a reputation in the neighborhood for being a bird nerd. I went. And it was, indeed, a very disgruntled Pygmy Owl.

 After everyone took a few photos, I convinced the neighbor to open the cage door. He was still disbelieving that it could fly. Of course, as soon as the door was open, the owl flew out and lit in a nearby tree, allowing more photos. It sat and glared at us for several minutes, then flew off.

The owl was none the worse for its harrowing adventure. And it gave me an opportunity to teach three people a little bit about day flying tiny owls.