Great Horned Owl Found Completely Covered in Oil in California

A great horned owl was found completely covered in oil, after getting into an oil pit in California. (Photo Credit: Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network)

A great horned owl is recovering after it was found completely covered in oil in southern California.

The juvenile male owl was found in the oil pit in Dulah in Ventura County on Monday, according to the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network. They believe the owl may have tried to catch a rat on the covered oil pit and fell.

 

“This was a total accident, as these fields are wildlife-proofed, but the force of him trying to attack his prey must have compromised the cover on the pit and he fell in,” the organization wrote in a Facebook comment.

The rescue organization treated the owl and washed him with warm water and Dawn dishwashing liquid soap, according to a Facebook post.

In an update, the Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network said the owl is “alive, alert, and angry” and is being transported to the International Bird Rescue in Los Angeles, where he will undergo treatment and further oil washing.

The oil-covered owl was washed with warm water and Dawn dishwashing liquid. (Photo Credit: Santa Barbara Wildlife Care Network)

Oil washing is said to be a laborious process. It can also be extremely stressful for animals, so workers have to be very careful and give the owl time to rest between cleanings.

Dawn dish soap is a commonly used cleaning solution for washing oil-covered birds, as it is considered powerful enought to effectively remove oil from birds’ feathers, while remaining gentle on their feathers, skin and eyes, according to the International Bird Rescue.

The Great Horned Owl is named for its large, conspicuous ear tufts, which resemble horns perched atop its head, according to the Owl Research Institute. An apex predatory of the sky, it has long, sharp talons and strong feet that allow them to grip their prey with up to 28 pounds of of force.

Earlier this month, Colorado wildlife officials enlisted the help of firefighters to help rescue a great horned owl ensnared in abandoned fishing line.

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