Continued from Part 1
From Raven Ridge Wildlife Center
05 April
Happy Easter and we have a truly remarkable story to share today.
Sometimes, circumstances unfold for a reason, and what initially seems heartbreaking can lead to something positive. Our first baby of 2026 arrived weak and underweight after being discovered at the bottom of a cold cement stairway in downtown Columbia. This Great Horned Owl was alone in an area lacking trees or safe spots for a young owl too small to be out of the nest, without a parent to protect or feed it.
Just two days before, we had received an adult female Great Horned Owl rescued from an electrical fence. She showed clear signs of nesting behavior but was unable to fly or even stand. We always strive to do what is right for our patients, ensuring their surroundings and rehabilitation environments closely resemble their natural habitats.
Hatchling and nestling owls tend to imprint easily, so placing them with a foster adult or others of their age and size is crucial. Knowing the female Great Horned Owl was still in nesting mode and the baby owl had lost its mother, our team decided to take a chance and pair the two. This was a risk we were willing to take to allow her to continue her mothering role, ensuring the baby owl would not imprint on humans and could learn from its own species. It turned out to be a win-win for both.
The relationship has developed beautifully, and we couldn’t have asked for a better outcome for either owl. The adult female has taken on the role of caregiver, demonstrating strong protective instincts. We plan to release both the adult female and the baby owl together in the general area where she was rescued. Having the baby owl released with her will provide the necessary support from an adult that raised it, in case of any need for assistance.
One of the greatest rewards our team experiences is ensuring that our patients receive top-quality care and natural comfort during their rehabilitation.
I’m always glad to be able to help out! A lot of places have public events and open houses so you can meet the people and animals if you want to check anyone out. I attended 2 open houses and an event at the library out on by the clinic I’m with before I got involved with them, so I knew they’ve been around a long time and had a great reputation. People in the community really love us.
Most places are done with taking volunteers for the season. Check back around January since most places will start being fully staffing in March and April for baby season, but they need to have everyone signed up, background checked if you’re open to the public, and just to know they’ll have enough people before taking in animals.
Always feel free to ask any questions, and I’ll try to help you get things figured out. I love entertaining you guys of course, but if I can get some of you actively involved, donating, volunteering, or making your homes better for wildlife, that’s my real goal because that’s what saves these animals.