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From In the Wild With Rick

Blue Ear Tufts?

Juvenile Great Horned Owl approximately 3.5 months old.

Looks like the tufts are blue but they're really greyish/brownish in color.

These tufts are actually not their ears but specialized feathers called "Plumicorns" and the owls use them to communicate with each other and they help with camouflage.

The owls' ears are behind their eyes, on the sides of their heads and the ears are asymmetric, which means that one ear is positioned higher on their head than the other.

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For owls that are superb.

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US Wild Animal Rescue Database: Animal Help Now

International Wildlife Rescues: RescueShelter.com

Australia Rescue Help: WIRES

Germany-Austria-Switzerland-Italy Wild Bird Rescue: wildvogelhilfe.org

If you find an injured owl:

Note your exact location so the owl can be released back where it came from. Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitation specialist to get correct advice and immediate assistance.

Minimize stress for the owl. If you can catch it, toss a towel or sweater over it and get it in a cardboard box or pet carrier. It should have room to be comfortable but not so much it can panic and injure itself. If you can’t catch it, keep people and animals away until help can come.

Do not give food or water! If you feed them the wrong thing or give them water improperly, you can accidentally kill them. It can also cause problems if they require anesthesia once help arrives, complicating procedures and costing valuable time.

If it is a baby owl, and it looks safe and uninjured, leave it be. Time on the ground is part of their growing up. They can fly to some extent and climb trees. If animals or people are nearby, put it up on a branch so it’s safe. If it’s injured, follow the above advice.

For more detailed help, see the OwlPages Rescue page.

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