However, Kalish warns of being too delighted: “As cute as the animals look, they are still predators. They have sharp beaks and claws, and in fact, it is often the smallest birds that make me bleed the most. “
It remains to be seen whether the little owl was already sitting in the tree when it was felled or crawling in afterwards. Kalish suspects the former, however: “Perhaps she got trauma from the shock or just hid from fear.” According to Kalish, the forest workers checked the tree before cutting it down to avoid exactly such a fall. “But these animals are difficult to see, they are nocturnal and their exterior is designed so that you cannot find them during the day.”
Ready to take off
After six days of feeding and observation, Rocky was ready for life in the wild again: At dusk, when the animals became active, he was released into the air in a clearing in a coniferous forest. “I keep crying when I can let a bird fly,” says Ellen Kalish. “We are doing all of this for this very moment. “
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