Bethpage State Park Ecology

Did you know that Great Horned Owls have such an intensive parental care instinct, that they are capable of fostering other Great Horned Owl chicks? That’s right! Owl adoption is a possibility among this species, when situations call for it. Here at Bethpage State Park we had this exact situation and were up to facilitating it!   It started when Sweetbriar Nature Center got a call that an owl chick was found helpless on a dog run in Selden, NY. Dog owners spotted a juvenile Great Horned Owl on the ground and immediately knew something was wrong. It was not attempting to fly and too young to be out of the nest, alone. When Sweetbriar staff arrived to  assess  the situation, they searched but were unable to reconnect the owlet with is nest or parents. The chick was then brought back to the center which operates as a wildlife rehab.  For two weeks, a caring staff monitored and fed the owl baby. Thankfully, no neurological damage was detected. The chick was healthy,...