Overweight Owl
The owl weighed 245 grams, which was 33% more than the upper limit of what an owl that size should weigh. The reason for the weight gain was quite natural – the owl was eating too much. The winter had been unusually warm, and as a result, the area had a higher than normal population of mice and voles. In addition, species like mice and vole tend to follow a population cycle where their population spikes every four years. This combined with the warm winter meant that it was like an all-you-can-eat buffet for the little owl, and it got carried away.
From Overweight to Flying High
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The sanctuary staff put the owl on a regime of diet and exercise, and it started to lose weight quickly. After some time, the owl was back to its normal health and was released back into the wild. There is a video on the Suffolk Owl Sanctuary Facebook page of the owl being released into the wild. The video shows the owl emerging from a small wooden box and taking to the air with ease. The owl looked excited to be back in the wild and to be flying properly again.
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