The Nest Has Collapsed

Great Horned Owl Nest: The Nest Has Collapsed
By Barb and Herb Draeger

• THE GREAT HORNED OWL NEST: Casual observations prior to rescue
• THE GREAT HORNED OWL NEST: Follow Up Visits

April 20, 1995
Time: 9 a.m.
Weather:
Temp: 41
Wind: East 10 to 15 MPH
Sky: Overcast
The owl nest has collapsed, and is hanging at a 150-degree angle down from its original sight. There was a heavy storm two days ago and I was unable to go out to check the nest sight. I have called for a rescue effort as the chicks are too young to be out of the nest at this time. Have contacted Lori Arent at the Raptor Center, who has arranged for a professional tree trimmer to meet me at the nest location in a few hours to climb the tree and rebuild the nest. Jimmy Mussel will be the tree climber to make the rescue attempt after finishing trimming elsewhere.

1:30 p.m.
Jim has yet to arrive for the rescue and I am waiting patiently. Some damage has been done to other bird of prey nests in the area, but not to the extent that the owl nest was damaged. The owl nest is very loose and ready to topple at the slightest breeze. The chicks are perched precariously on the right side of what little remains at the original sight of the nest.

1:45 p.m.
Jimmy is now on the way, will drive up to gate area to meet him to bring him into the sight. I have also been conferring with the Manager of the gravel pit to advise him of all that will be taking place, he is very interested in being present when the rescue takes place. Mr. Tom Bell, a retired biology teacher who lives near the nest will also be present, along with the assistant manager of the gravel pit, Lynne.

2:10 p.m.
Jimmy has arrived and I explained the situation to him. He has all the rigging necessary to climb the tree safely. The rigging includes heavy ropes, clamps, safety belt, spikes, gloves, saws, wire, wire cutters, goggles, and hard hat. Jim is a professional tree trimmer with great skill and experience. The tree Jim must climb is a red oak that is loaded with small protruding branches up the entire trunk which will slow climbing. We hiked to the nest, then scanned the area to try to locate the parent owl without success, making safer climbing. It's likely the parent could attack if provoked by the climbing of the tree and if the owlets cry in distress.

Lynne, the assistant manager, brought a video camera so she could record the events. She also provided me with safety goggles and heavy-duty welders gloves as mine were at the Raptor Center. Jim estimated the nest was about 40 to 45 feet up the oak. He climbed swiftly, finally securing himself on a large branch above the nest. Jim determined only a part of the nest could be salvaged, to do so the two chicks had to be moved to a safe place. The nest would have to be relocated to a more secure branch below the original sight. Jim tossed a heavy rope down to which I attached an empty ruck-sack. Guiding the weightless sack up through the branches empty was easy, but once the sack had two lively chicks placed inside, it was more difficult. When Jim lifted the first chick toward the sack, the leg of a bird was seen protruding from the chicks' beak. The leg was expelled when Jim grabbed the chick, which was determined to be from a Common Coot. The coot is a small wadding water bird, black with a white beak and dark green webbed feet. The coots' leg was the length from the hip joint to the toe, about 5 inches.

The owl chicks can see quite well inside the darkness of the ruck sack and were active as Jim, on one end of the rope and myself on the other, eased the sack slowly down through the tangled branches. Removing the chicks gently from the sack, I checked the feather development, color of the interior of the beak and the density of the keel (the breast). All seems OK in comparison to the birds I've worked with at The Raptor Center. As I am not a veterinarian, it was impossible to determine the sex of the birds without a blood sample being drawn.

The keel on both birds was equally developed, yet one chick was heavier in the body than the first. The feathers on the larger were more developed with signs of the flight feathers breaking through the shafting.

I guess that chick one is about 12 to 14 inches from head to tail and about 15 ounces in weight, chick two is about 10 to 12 inches from head to tail and about 10 to 13 ounces in weight. They both have clear yellow eyes, the mouth interiors are soft pink, the feet look like closely packed goose bumps and are slightly pink with under tones of tan.

I handed the manager of the gravel pit the older chick after showing him how to hold it without harm to the chick or himself. Holding the two youngsters side by side, it became obvious one was larger and had quickly developing wing feathers. The smaller is also lighter in color with no sign of the flight feathers breaking through the shafting. Many photos later (about 20 minutes) both chicks were replaced carefully in the rucksack.

While the chicks were on the ground, Jim worked quickly moving the salvageable nest materials to a branch just below the original branch. Some materials were tangled on this new stronger, forked branch making it easier for Jim to rebuild the nest without needing to cut many branches from the oak. This forked portion of the branch he's working on would become the new base for the nest.

The wind has increased pushing a band of rain toward us. The branches of the tree where Jim is anchored are swaying with each gust of wind, pitching him precariously back and forth. Secured with ropes and clamps, he yells down that he is safe, luckily the trees have not leafed out cutting down the action of the wind.

Jim asked for grass and smaller branches for lining the nest, as the base was finally ready for the young owls. Packing the grass into the straps of the sack below the chicks, the sack was again attached firmly to the rope dangling from above. Moving the sack carefully through the branches, the babies, grass and extra twigs ascended safely to Jim's location. Luckily the twigs tied to the straps did not catch on any branches of the oak.

Jim lined the nest with grass, after building the edges up slightly with twigs to form a cup like depression. He then replaced the chicks one by one back into the nest, assuring himself that no flight feathers were damaged during the assent. Securing himself with clamps to a branch nearby he observed the chicks reaction to the nest for a few minutes, then repelled quickly to the ground. We are greatly assured that all will be well. I will check in a few days.

Many thanks go to Jim for the effort and success of this rescue, also to Lynne, Mark and Tom for photos provided for this report.