We received a call from a concerned member of the public who had found a disorientated Tawny Owl inside their log burning stove.
When he arrived, we were surprised by how clean Cinders was. Having dealt with many Owls whom have fallen down chimneys over the years, they usually come in blackened with soot and require several careful washes to restore their feathers to their true colour without causing any damage. As Owls are not waterproof, this is usually done over several days, and we must monitor them carefully in case they have ingested any soot while preening.
Thankfully, the house owners had recently had their chimney cleaned, so there was very little sooty residue to be found on his feathers. Upon closer inspection, Jess was amazed at the curliness of his facial feathers, with a likeness to a feather duster!
We don’t recommend using Tawny Owls as feather dusters.
Cinders will be monitored for a few days before being released back near where he came from.