Ambassador Snow Day!

From The Raptor Center

If the short days of December are dimming your mood, we've got some owls to brighten your day! Pictured here are two of TRC's beloved ambassador owls who chose to be out in the beautiful snow that fell this past week in Minnesota.

With a light dusting of snow framing their faces, these owls reveal the remarkable insulation of their feathers-preventing body heat from escaping and stopping the snow from melting on contact.

Barred owl Strix was found along a roadside in 2010, likely hit by a vehicle, with the trauma causing blindness in the right eye. One easy way to help reduce car collisions with raptors is to refrain from littering on the side of the road, as this attracts rodents, which in turn attract owls on the hunt.

Twig, the Eastern screech owl, became habituated to humans while very young and lacks the behaviors to survive in the wild. While finders have the best of intentions, it is important to always call your local rehabilitator when finding a young raptor (or any animal) and not attempt to care for them yourself.