Great Horned Owl Rescued From Deep Trench Near Fort Lupton

Rocky Mountain Raptor Program

A male Great Horned Owl was trapped at the bottom of a 10' trench at an oilfield site near Fort Lupton and separated from his mate. He had been there for at least a day before someone called the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program in Fort Collins. The owl couldn't spread his wings, so he was stuck in the muddy hole.

RMRP called Colorado Parks and Wildlife for their help, and District Wildlife Manager Jason Duetsch came to the rescue. He used a catch pole, a net and duct tape to get the angry owl out of the hole!

According to the Rocky Mountain Raptor Program:

The owl was dehydrated, coated in mud, and had abrasions to both eyelids. We bathed him immediately to assess feather condition and avoid further damage that the dried mud might cause. A bath was the last thing in the world this angry owl wanted. Luckily the mud was sandy and washed off easily. After a quick towel dry he spent the night in Critical Care in a comfy cage with a warming disc.

Rocky Mountain Raptor Program

After less than a week from the time he was found, the Great Horned Owl was released back into the wild. Anadarko Petroleum's Health, Safety and Environment Inspector Mark Daley was on hand because he wanted to be there for the release. You can see the owl fly to it's mate in this YouTube video from RMRP.

The couple was successfully reunited!