How Hootie Got His Groove Back

A Wildlife Health Center vet examines her patient ©WCS/Julie Maher

After an unexpected bump in the night, a long-eared owl with a fractured wing is on the mend at the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Health Center. The crippled bird was found in nearby Westchester County in late February and received initial treatment from licensed wildlife rehabilitator and Bronx Zoo volunteer Joanne Dreeben. Once she had assessed the injury, Dreeben met the bird’s unblinking stare and gave her prognosis: To make a recovery, this patient would need hospitalization and expert care.

Upon arriving at the health center, which helps care for some 17,000 residents of the WCS zoos and aquarium, the owl was given an exam and an x-ray. The injury appeared to be the result of a collision. Veterinarians bandaged the owl’s wing and placed the bird in a small enclosure to restrict its movements.

A model patient, the owl was even tolerant of hospital food. “The bird is eating well and should make a complete recovery,” said Susan Cardillo, a supervisor at the health center who has been caring for the recovering bird for the past month. Once the bone had started to mend, the vets used physical therapy to maintain normal joint and tendon function in the wing.

The long-eared owl, a usual inhabitant of North American woodlands, is an uncommon resident in the New York City area. As a medium-size owl, it grows to some 15 inches in length and has a wingspan of up to 36 inches. It is a highly adept and silent flier, becoming active at dusk. The bird can move through dense brush to hunt its prey, which includes mice, chipmunks, squirrels, and other small mammals.

Hootie, our long-eared owl has been moved to a larger enclosure. And before too long, its two strong wings should once again catch the glint of a New York moon.

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