Blue Ridge Wildlife Center Patient of the Week: Eastern Screech Owl

Seeing with One Eye, Hearing with Two

This owl was initially found down on New Year’s Eve in Petersburg, Virginia, and was first taken to Richmond Wildlife Center before being transferred to us for specialized care.

Upon examination, our medical team discovered severe damage to one of the owl’s eyes and a fracture at the tip of the beak—both injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle.

Our Associate Veterinarian, Dr. Emily Hsieh, performed a delicate evisceration procedure to remove the damaged eye. Our team was invited to be present for the procedure—it’s not something we see every day, and it was an incredible opportunity to witness such specialized care firsthand.

An evisceration involves removing the contents of the eye while leaving the outer structures, such as the eyelids and eye muscles, intact. This procedure helps prevent infection and allows the bird to maintain a more natural appearance, which can help reduce stress by preserving normal behaviors like blinking and preening. These natural actions are essential for comfort and can aid in a smoother recovery process.

In wildlife medicine, we carefully evaluate whether an animal can survive in the wild after such an injury. For most raptors, losing vision in one eye makes successful hunting and survival nearly impossible. However, owls are the exception!

Owls are uniquely equipped to thrive with monocular vision due to their exceptional hearing. Unlike other raptors, owls have asymmetrically placed ears—one higher and one lower on their heads—which allows them to pinpoint the exact location of sounds.

While hawks, falcons, and eagles rely heavily on precise depth perception from both eyes to hunt, owls use their acute hearing to locate prey. Their facial discs funnel sound directly to their ears, allowing them to detect the slightest movements. This specialized adaptation gives owls an incredible advantage, even with the loss of an eye.

Many vehicle collisions with wildlife happen at dawn and dusk when animals are most active. To help prevent injuries like this, please stay alert while driving, especially in wooded or rural areas.

We are hopeful that we can release this one-eyed wonder soon!

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