Native Path Wildlife Center

So very sorry we are still close.

Friendly reminder

There is a very good chance you may see a nestling/fledgeling great horned owl on the ground this time of year. This is normal and the parents will take care of... them on the ground. Please observe before interfearing, and look for any obvious injury, flys, blood or unable to stand or the owl seems to be in distress or trouble please contact us. Also, take a picture and send it us to see if the animal needs admmitted. This large owl is sometimes called the tiger of the air. It is an adept aerial predator with powerful talons capable of crushing the spinal column of prey larger than itself. The great horned owl weighs up to 3.5 pounds, is 19 to 24 inches in length and has a wingspan range of 3 feet to nearly 5 feet. Females are slightly larger than males. A great horned owl has soft brown plumage above, mottled with grayish-white; undersides of light gray barred with dark; a collar of white feathers on the upper breast; a rust-colored face; and prominent ear tufts, the so-called horns, up to 2 inches long. Great horned owls are often mobbed by crows and other birds because of their predatory habits. The great horned owl is the night-time equivalent of the red-tailed hawk. The great horned is known as the hoot owl for its call, three to eight (usually five) deep, booming, uninflected hoots: hoo-hoohoo hoo, given in a pattern somewhat like a Morse code message and has great carrying power. The hoot of the larger female is higher pitched than that of the male due to her smaller syrinx. These owls hoot to stake out territory and as part of the species’ mating activity. The courtship of great horned owls extends from fall into early winter, providing many nights of hooting serenades with pairs dueting in synchronized hooting sessions. In Pennsylvania, nesting females are on eggs in February and early March and occasionally as early as late January. After fledging, the young owls beg from their parents with a high-pitched call that sounds somewhat like a barn owl’s call, but less raspy. These night-time barking calls are sometimes given from prominent posts like tree tops and utility poles.

Please be careful when using artificial spider webs or decorations that could cause entrapment.

Every time you share you might save a raptor.Raptors Are the Solution (RATS) educates people about the ecological role of birds of prey in urban and wild areas and about the danger they face from the widespread use of rat poison.Excellent organization LINK: https://www.raptorsarethesolution.org/

DON'T FORGET TO CUT YOUR STRAPS!

Releasing balloons is a terrible way to commemorate a person or event. Whether you release one balloon or hundreds, they don’t just go away, what goes up must c...ome down. And when they do, they can harm and kill marine life, litter our environment and even cause power outages. The good thing is that there is an easy solution. Learn more about why there is no such thing as an eco-friendly balloon, and why the best thing we can all do is to just stop releasing them: https://finalstraw.com//why-balloon-releases-are-terrible-

Photo Message of the Day: Dispose of your facemasks safely, to protect our birds and wildlife!! Better yet, use reusable masks! By not doing so it's a danger n...ot only to people but as we see in this case our birds too!!! I have to think this will become an issue for our city pigeons - so keep your eyes open!! This peregrine falcon was spotted struggling because someone had failed to dispose of a mask properly. It eventually managed to free itself, however, the mask would have prevented the bird being able to hunt and feed itself, and could have resulted in death. The gull was rescued after getting its legs trapped in the elastic of a disposable face mask. It’s clear the mask was there for some time and the elastic straps had tightened around his legs as his joints were swollen and sore". The lovely songbird did not survive. This bird was caught in a tree for two days with the masks elastic ear material wrapped around its neck, under its beak and wing. The mask appeared to have blown into a tree. We can expect a rise in similar cases as a result of the introduction of new face covering rules! We all have the responsibility to clear up after ourselves and we should make sure that we dispose of facemasks and all other types of litter, properly and responsibly.

I just had to share .. sorry laughting so hard .

Did you know a Box turtle only roams 1 mile its whole life? If it is removed from its area/home then for the rest of its life it will roam aimlessly stressed ou...t... trying to find "home" until it dies a very sad death. Please do not remove turtles. Do not take them home as pets. If one is injured please mark the exact spot found for the wildlife center. If a turtle is in the road you can help by moving it directly across the street in the direction it was heading. Thank you! I post this every few month because it's not really known. Many people think it is harmless to let their children take home a docile turtle to play with and release it someplace they see appropriate. I was once that kid. Please share the knowledge. http://www.boxturtles.com/box-turtle-conservation/

This red-bellied woodpecker came to us from Stevens Pa. The finder was so upset to come home from work to find this bird stuck to the lanternfly paper. We are... getting more wildlife brought to the center that we are having to treat. Please, take a moment and put chicken wire or hardware cloth around the tape on the tree and attach it with zip ties. This will be a huge inexpensive step towards containing control of the lanternflies and saving wildlife from this trauma. See more

This is what happens to our wildlife. This is hard on the wildlife and Rehabbers..Alot of them dont survive ...Please help ...

Human should learn from this crow Credit: Newsflare

During this time of the year, it is not uncommon to find baby bunnies, called kits, or a bunny nest in your backyard. Cottontail rabbits begin seeking mates in ...March, with most litters born between May and June. Unable to defend their young, mothers leave kits alone in grassy nests hidden from predators only visiting their young a few times a day to nurse. If you do find baby bunnies this summer, and they are not visibly injured, please let them be! A kits best chance of survival is with its mother. Learn more about cottontails here https://bit.ly/2Ufm0da.