On the 1st August a stunning Barn Owl was rescued and brought to the GSPCA that had sadly been caught in garden netting quite likely when she was hunting at night.
The bird who was called 'Beau' had very badly injured legs with the netting cutting deep through the skin.
She was rushed to the vets and put on a series of treatments and returned to the Shelter where she was placed in an Intensive Care Unit.
After a couple of weeks of treatment she was strong enough to be placed in one of our soft release aviaries where she gathered her strength.
Beau recuperated well and just over two weeks ago she was returned back to the area in St Peters where she was originally rescued.
Yvonne Chauvel Senior Animal Care Assistant was on site when Beau arrived and released the Barn Owl with the original finders.
Yvonne said "It is so hard when we have injured birds of prey at the GSPCA as they can become so stressed that it can really make their situation much worse."
"Beau is one of the very lucky one's and thanks to the actions of the finders, the treatments from the vets and care here at the GSPCA we managed to get her back where she belongs and we even rung her in case she ever gets seen again we can know that she is doing well."
"Many people don't realise that when you pick up an injured barn owl they play dead which can be very concerning, but if ever you do find one take care as their feet are very strong."
"When picking up a Barn Owl you are best wrapping them in a towel or a jacket and get them into a dark box and either transport them as quickly as you can to the Shelter or call us on 257261."
Steve Byrne GSPCA Manager said "Barn Owls are just majestic and to have saved one and got her back to the wild is extremely rewarding for all of the team at the GSPCA."
"If anyone does see a Barn Owl in St Peters with a ring on its foot please do let us know as we would love to hear that Beau is doing well."
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A little about Barn Owls -
Barn Owls have heart-shaped face, buff back and wings and pure white underparts, the barn owl is a distinctive and much-loved bird in Guernsey.
They are widely distributed across the UK, and indeed the world, although they have suffered declines through the 20th century and is thought to have been adversely affected by organochlorine pesticides such as DDT in the 1950s and '60s.
Their Latin name is Tyto alba and they are from the family Owls (Tytonidae).
You are best to see them in open country, along field edges, riverbanks and roadside verges and you can see them all year round, but best at dusk.
They eat mice, voles and shrews.
There are an estimated 110 to 220,000 pairs across Europe with 4,000 breeding pairs across the UK and between 12,500 and 25,000 wintering birds.
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