Recently, over a three week period, Suffolk Owl Sanctuary took receipt of 5 young little owls who required a soft release.
A soft release is when we continue to care for the birds close to their release site, allowing them to develop their own survival abilities naturally, as if they had fledged in the wild. The problem is, that owls can imprint to a human caregiver very quickly, so it is imperative we keep our distance.
A ‘soft release’ hacking pen for these particular little ones has been located in a private barn, near wild meadows. Over a period of weeks the hacking pen will be supplied with food (in this case dark mice - a recognisable food source) and the door left open. As the young owls still lack the required skills to hunt, we will continue to supply food over a period of weeks until we feel the little owls have dispersed into the surrounding area.
The trail cam is a very handy way of checking in to see if youngsters are still visiting, and this one caught two separate owlets coming in to feed!
Suffolk Owl Sanctuary has seen a dramatic fall in income since the recent pandemic began. The result of a prolonged closure means we need to raise funding to look after birds who need specialist feeding, exercise, medication and veterinary treatment.
Please consider a small donation as we strive onwards and upwards to maintain our full range of rescue, rehab and conservation services through to the winter months ahead.