Via iStockphoto / @kylescheele TikTok
A man discovers an injured owl in the middle of the road and decides to take the owl home with him. Was this the right move to do?
Owls are beautiful and majestic animals. These creatures thrive in the nighttime, so seeing an owl is typically a rare occurrence. One man stumbled upon an owl stuck in the middle of the road and pulled his car over to rescue it.
In a TikTok with over 134,600 views, Kyle Scheele (@kylescheele) reveals how his family discovered an injured owl and decided to take it home.
“I see an animal in the other lane and it looks roughly raccoon-sized. It’s sitting upright, but it’s not like running around or anything,” Scheele notices.
Scheele slowly drives by the animal and realizes that it’s not a raccoon.
“It’s an owl. It’s just sitting in the middle of the road. It didn’t take off when I drove past it,” Scheele reveals.
He thought this was strange and thought something was wrong with the owl.
“Turns out it was a barred owl that had been hit by a car and it could not fly,” he shares.
Scheele grabs a sweatshirt from the car and goes for the rescue. He places the sweatshirt over the owl’s head and transports it to the car. The family brings the owl home and Scheele contacts a wildlife rehabilitator, but none are available until the next day.
In the meantime, Scheele and his wife set up a container box for the owl to reside in. The man transfers the owl from the sweatshirt into the box. After placing the owl down and removing the sweatshirt, the owl tries to break free and fly away. His wife screams, but the owl lands back in the box.
“In hindsight, I probably should have had that lid ready to go,” Scheele admits.
The Owl Rehabilitator Saves The Day
After getting the owl situated in the box, the owl rehabilitator arrives the next day. Kathy from Hills N’ Hollars Rescue unboxes the container and sees the owl quietly still. She picks up the owl and inspects the wings and feathers.
Kathy discovers the owl is young and has a broken wing. She also notices a lazy eye and a bloody nose but believes the owl will heal up quickly. After the inspection, she places the owl inside a pet carrier.
“Be safe out there, guys, when you’re driving. Please watch out for owls. They are beautiful, majestic creatures,” he concludes.
What To Do If You Find An Injured Owl On The Ground?
Seeing an injured owl can be a shocking sight to see. Natural instinct is to help it immediately, but it’s best to verify if the owl is injured and needs help.
International Owl Center reports that just because an owl is on the ground doesn’t necessarily mean it’s hurt. Young owlets may be grounded when learning how to fly, as it can take days or weeks even to learn. The parents will be close by, monitoring the progress. Owls will only need help here if they are injured or both parents have been killed.
The resource suggests using a stick to nudge the owl in the back of its legs. If it can’t stand up, you can pick up the owl using gloves.
“Slowly approach the owl and toss a towel, blanket, or jacket over it,” the International Owl Center continues. “Watch out for the feet and beak, and press the owl’s wings to its body through the blanket. Carefully pick it up and place it in the box. Close the box and either tape it securely shut or interlock the flaps.”
Once captured, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator. These rehabilitators will be able to determine the damage and help get the owl fully healthy once again. While holding onto the owl, it’s essential to minimize stress for the owl. Needs to be kept in a quiet location.
‘They Are Stunned For A While After Being Hit’
Viewers in the comments section explained what the owl was experiencing when Scheele discovered it.
“They are stunned for a while after being hit then get more lively. This was definitely a typical progression. Never let your guard down with large birds of prey; their talons and beaks will cut through virtually any glove or towel,” one TikTok commenter wrote.
“It was temporarily stunned & recovered on the way home. Thanks for saving it,” another added.
“A) didn’t react when you picked it up because it was in shock while also being blinded. B) it didn’t move the whole time because it was wearing a straitjacket,” one explained.
Other viewers were amused by the wife’s scream when the owl moved.
“Your wife’s scream killed me omg,” one commented.
“She has a great film scream,” one added.
“Omg I dropped my phone and scared the h- out of my cat,” one shared.
BroBible has contacted Scheele via TikTok direct message and commented.