A tiny great horned owl appeared to have lost all hope when he was found alone, soaked and shivering on the ground in a Massachusetts park.
A person walking their dog through a park in Longmeadow came across the helpless baby owl and immediately realized something was wrong. The young bird had apparently fallen from its nest and had no obvious way of getting back.
Cold, wet and stranded on the ground, the little owl looked miserable. Worse, remaining exposed left him vulnerable to predators.
But help was already on the way.
The person who discovered the owl contacted the Longmeadow Police Department, and Officer Peter MacElhiney soon arrived at the scene.
It was MacElhiney’s first time handling a young owl. Although the birds are occasionally seen around town, encounters like this are uncommon. The officer also noticed that the owl’s talons were already well developed and capable of causing a painful injury.
MacElhiney initially wasn’t sure whether the best thing would be to leave the bird where he was. But seeing how wet and cold the owl had become—and knowing he was vulnerable on the ground—he decided that the little bird needed protection.
The officer carefully picked him up and carried him to safety.
The frightened owl may not have immediately understood that the stranger holding him was there to help. But after being cold, alone and exposed on the ground, the tiny bird was finally in safe hands.
What had looked like the end of the road for this stranded baby owl turned into the beginning of his rescue.