Outdoors

Saving fallen baby owl in Southold a real ‘hoot’

(Credit:
This baby owl was rescued in Southold on Thursday. (Credit: Gillian Wood Pultz)

A baby owl that fell out of its nest in Southold Thursday afternoon has safely returned to his tree in Southold thanks a quick-thinking real estate agent and local animal rescue workers.

While Sandra DeRose of Century 21 Albertson Realty in Southold was showing a house at around 2 p.m., a faint sound coming from a nearby tree caught her attention.

“We walked over there and there was this little, white, fluffy owl with beautiful big eyes looking up at up at us,” she said. “He would just look at us like he was begging us to help him. It was heartbreaking.”

Fearing the bird was injured, Ms. DeRose contacted North Fork Animal Welfare League executive director Gillian Wood Pultz.

After Ms. Pultz found the juvenile great horned owl, she contacted Virginia Frati, executive director of the Wildlife Rescue of the Hamptons, to help get him back into his nest as quickly as possible.

“She is the expert,” Ms. Pultz said about Ms. Frati. “We sent her pictures and she told us exactly what to do.”

The baby owl’s next stop was at the North Fork Animal Hospital on Main Road in Southold.

Veterinary Dr. Dan D’Amato treated the owl and said although he seemed to have bitten his tongue during the fall, the owl didn’t need much care.

After X-rays were taken, he said the owl was given a clean bill of health.

“He just needed to go home,” Dr. D’Amato said.

The shelter quickly built the owl a makeshift nest from a basket and hoisted him back into the tree he fell from — all under the watchful eye of his mother.

“Mom was there making her presence known,” Ms. Pultz said. “He is now safely up in his tree and she just wanted us to get lost.”

[email protected]

North Fork Animal Welfare League director Gillian Wood Pultz with the baby owl. (Credit: Gillian Wood Pultz)
North Fork Animal Welfare League director Gillian Wood Pultz with the baby owl that fell from his nest Thursday.
The owl in his manmade nest. (Credit: Gillian Wood Pultz)
The owl in his new nest.