Western Screech Owl
This Western Screech Owl was brought to Tucson Wildlife Center after being hit by a car. He had no broken bones but suffered a traumatic head injury with damage to both eyes. His right eye completely healed, but our staff veterinarian diagnosed the little owl with a retinal tear in his left eye. Luckily, the retina remained intact, but the owl was completely non-visual in that eye due to a blind spot that developed.
Owls are among the few bird species, and one of the only raptors, that can adapt to surviving in the wild with vision in just one eye— relying on their sharp hearing and stealth as much as their vision to catch prey. Their asymmetrical ear placement allows them to pinpoint the exact location of sounds, and their specialized wing and feather structure enables near-silent flight. These traits allow owls to approach prey quietly and at a close range, making monocular (one-eyed) vision less of a disadvantage when hunting.
During rehabilitation, a series of flight tests and hunting practice helped assess whether the owl was successfully adapting to monocular vision. We are happy to report that this Western Screech Owl has been successfully released back into the wild! If you would like to help patients like this Western Screech Owl, click this link to donate
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