Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Barred Owl

This Barred Owl was lucky to be found after getting stuck to a large glue board that was put down to catch rats. Of course, this owl became a victim after going for easy prey—a trapped rat that was already deceased at the time of admission.

Thanks to the quick efforts of a Prince William County Animal Services Bureau Animal Control Officer, this owl was contained and transported to our facility for safe removal. The finder was spoken to about the dangers of glue traps, especially when placed outside, and they promptly threw away the rest of their traps to prevent this from happening in the future.

On intake, this bird was alert but quite dehydrated and thin. With careful restraint, we were able to remove the glue board, but many of the feathers on the left wing and tail were quite severely damaged from the adhesive. Once this bird is rehydrated and fully stable, our staff will anesthetize them to attempt to fully remove the glue from the feathers.

Owls rely on perfect feather structure to be successful hunters in the wild. The leading edges of their flight feathers have comb-like structures, breaking up turbulence and providing them with “silent flight” that allows them to quietly swoop in on their prey. If these feather structures are compromised, so is their ability to hunt successfully.

This bird may require “imping,” or the implantation of donor feathers into the shafts of damaged feathers, in order to restore their silent flight, but due to the number of feathers affected, they may need to stay in care until those feathers are molted and replaced with new, structurally-perfect ones.

Please, share this post far and wide—do NOT use glue traps and reach out to your representative in support of legislation that bans these traps (Glue Trap Prohibition Act of 2024)! Not only are they inhumane and cause incredible suffering to both intended and non-intended animals, but these traps do NOT solve your “pest” issue.

There are many humane exclusion techniques and changes that can be made to encourage wildlife away or out of areas without lethal means.

If you have an issue with wildlife, call the Center or your closest rehabilitator and we can help you with your unique situation.

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