this post was submitted on 30 Dec 2025
99 points (100.0% liked)
Superbowl
5370 readers
401 users here now
For owls that are superb.
Please scroll down to read our community rules.
US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now
International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com
Australia Rescue Help: WIRES
Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org
If you find an injured owl:
Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.
Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.
Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.
If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.
For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.
Community Rules:
Posts must be about owls. Especially appreciated are photographs (not AI) and scientific content, but artwork, articles, news stories, personal experiences and more are welcome too.
Be kind. If a post or comment bothers you, or strikes you as offensive in any way, please report it and moderators will take appropriate action.
AI is discouraged. If you feel strongly that the community would benefit from a post that involves AI you may submit it, but it might be removed if the moderators feel that it is low-effort or irrelevant.
Also visit our twinned community for wholesome content:
!wholesome@reddthat.com
)
founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
Most owls are very territorial, so that is one of those things that makes these photos so special. A lot won't even hang out with their mate outside of nesting season, they just begrudgingly share territory, but they will chase others out.
Short Ears typically hunt in wide open grassland, so there perhaps isn't as much a sense of competition, as seeing Shorties hunting around other Shorties isn't uncommon. They will fight over food if one catches something and the other doesn't. This is also common with Northern Harriers, which hunt the same grasslands with some overlap in schedule with the owls. We've had lots of photos here of them stealing from each other.
But plentiful food really goes a long way in them extending their patience with each other. This helps in animal rescues, as space is limited, but once they understand food isn't in short supply, they can often cohabitate. It's not really them being "mean", but guarding their food supply is survival for them. There isn't unlimited prey in the wild, and if they want to see spring, they can't just let whoever stop by and help themselves.
Here's a pair of Shorties fighting over a snack: