What Is This?

[Gemma Louise]

Hello,

Can anyone tell me what kind of owl this is? It's been in my backyard in the same spot for a few days now and hasn't moved at all so I decided to bring it inside to check if something was wrong with it. Images should be attached.

Cheers!

 

[Buggster]

Appears to be an owl chick- most likely why the poor thing hasn't moved in a couple days.
Looks like he's fallen out of the nest and hasn't been able to get back up.

Try and have a look around the area in which you found him to see if you can find the hollow he might have come from- if you do find it (and the parents are still hanging around), pop him back in there when they're out and they'll go straight back to looking after him with any luck. Owls don't have a sense of smell, so don't worry about your scent 'contaminating' him.

If you can't find the hollow, call your local council, the RSPCA or WIRES to have him taken away for specialist care ASAP.
For now, keep him in a warm, dark, quiet place so he doesn't stress.
Birds (and in particular young animals) are extremely prone to stress related issues.

I'm no expert in owls, but I believe chicks do NOT need water, and get all their moisture from their food.
An ideal diet would be day old chicks (chopped up) or small mice, but since the little guy has presumably not eaten since he's fallen out of his nest, I'd try and offer him bits of (raw) chicken if you have it.

Of course you'd either want to find the nest tonight, or call any of the three organisations mentioned above.

Remember, if you are in Australia (which I presume you would be), it is illegal to keep native wildlife without proper licensing.


Best of luck for the little guy.

 

[Callum Dureau]

Birds will also push a sick chick out of a nest if it is sick or weak... Just remember that if you do find the hollow, the parents might push it out again if it is sick. Personally, i'd call one of those two organisations rather than finding the hollow

 

[pythoninfinite]

Boobook Owl. if it was in a tree, it may have been being attended by its parents. if not, you should call your local wildlife carer organisation (WIRES in NSW) and have someone take care of it, or take it to a vet, who will pass it on free of charge. It may be very dehydrated and in need of urgent care.

Jamie

 

[ronhalling]

Spot on Jamie Southern Boobook chick, @Gemma Louise if it has been unattended for a few days now I would be doing as Jamie says: get it straight to the vet who can get some fluid into it, being 1 of Australia's smallest owl species it's body size loses fluid very quickly. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) -ronhalling