# Stray African Owl



## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

This little guy was a very lucky stray who ended up at a pigeon friendly veterinarian. Since they are getting flooded with baby bird season, I offered to take him and work to find his owner or a new home. I emailed NPA his band information on Wednesday, but haven’t heard back. Not sure how long they usually take to respond.

He’s an ’08 African Owl and I believe his color is called Almond. Even his toenails are almond. Check out that tiny beak! http://www.pigeons.biz/gallery/browseimages.php?c=3&userid=2192

He’s a real sweetie and is VERY tame - loves to be held in your hand and petted. I don’t think he did much flying since his initial flights here were erratic, but he is improving with practice. He tends to sit back on his hocks and his front toes on his right foot stay together so he doesn’t walk normally but scuttles around quite happily. Based on his vent bones, I think he’s a male. He has a good appetite and appears healthy and in good feather, although I don’t think he’s acclimated to outside temperatures. Sure seems like he was somebody's pet!


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## Msfreebird (Sep 23, 2007)

OMG He is sooooooooo cute


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Ohhhh! What a lovely bird! Glad s/he landed with you, Terri! It may take a couple of days for the NPA to get back to you. If you don't hear back by Tuesday or so, I would call Steve St. Clair.

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Okay, will do. Thanks!


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## Guest (Mar 30, 2009)

Beak??! What beak??? I don't see no beak!  LOL he's adorable. I hope his legs are ok. Maybe he was living in a small cage?


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## wolfwood (Jan 26, 2009)

He is lovely (!) and, obviously, VERY lucky!!!

Is the beak *_really_* s'posed to be soooo tiny?


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## spirit wings (Mar 29, 2008)

oh he is cute, are you sure he is almond? looks like a yellow or something, I thought almond had flecks in them, but I don't really know about color so much. good luck wishes for this lucky bird.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Yep, wolfwood, there’s a very tiny beak which I can feel it when he grooms me back.  Check the link to my album for a side head shot. That’s how they’re supposed to look. Initially, it was very disconcerting to look at him head on! I made the initial ID by checking out the one on this site in the index: go to http://www.pigeons.biz/pigeons/index.html , The Loft, Show Pigeons, Pictures, African Owl.

Based on his legs and lack of flying ability, I would agree with you, sasha008, that he probably was in a small cage. Right now, he’s in a 30”x24”x20” wire dog crate with towel and litter base. While in there, he tends to hang with the pigeon in the mirror. Three times a day, I take him out and let him putter around the spare bedroom (also called The Bird Room) for about an hour. His skill is improving and he flies up to the top of the crate (5’ – it’s up on a stand) so we can be eyeball to eyeball. Very pleased with himself!

Good point, spirit wings. His feathers do have flecks in them, it’s very mottled coloring, not solid like the yellow I've seen in other breeds. His feathers have that very soft baby feel and he’s just starting to molt, so who knows what his adult plumage will look like!


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## ceren (Feb 20, 2009)

That's the most ridiculous "beak" ever. how does he groom anything? 

It's hard to think of releasing him back to an owner that kept him in a cage small enough to retard his leg strength?

I sorta wish he was up for adoption.  How far is the drive up from SF to Kent? (as if we didn't have enough pigeons here...)

My dwarf rabbit is trying to make friends with the feral that I'm working with, but the feral is not too impressed. wingslaps keep the rabbit skittering away... for 15 seconds.


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

What a pretty color bird and unusual little beak. I'm glad he landed in your lap, lucky bird.


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## george simon (Feb 28, 2006)

wolfwood said:


> He is lovely (!) and, obviously, VERY lucky!!!
> 
> Is the beak *_really_* s'posed to be soooo tiny?


 Hi WOLFWOOD, Yes it is  ....GEORGE


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## mr squeaks (Apr 14, 2005)

What an absolute cutie, Terri!

I so hope he will have a good home! He deserves it! 

Please keep us posted!!

Love, Hugs and Scritches

Shi and the gang


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

I can see why folks enjoy young birds - he's a real puppy-dog for pets. 
We also play the "...I peck at a piece of food and he runs over to eat it..." game.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

*A great representative of the pigeon fancy!*

I had a very pleasant conversation with Tim Heidrich, the Secretary/Treasurer of the American Owl Club (interesting history regarding the club's name on their web site http://www.americanowlclub.com/). Tim has been breeding African Owls for over 12 years and is the newest Master Breeder of the American Owl Club. He told me this bird was hatched in Utah and was given or sold to someone living here in Washington who either lost or tossed him.

Tim graciously answered all my questions regarding African Owls:
• African Owls are generally not strong fliers, so it’s unlikely he flew here from Utah
• Most are at least partly hand-raised, so are usually very tame (he certainly is!)
• The leg problem is probably due to inadequate minerals (he sure went for the grit the first day); it is possible that with good mineral supplements he might improve
• Stress can trigger a head molt (he’s growing in new head feathers)
• They can be housed with other mellow breeds

Tim even offered to send a box and money for shipping if I wanted to send the bird to him. What a great response! Since Tim is in Villa Rica, Georgia, I'd prefer to find him a closer home if possible. I’ll be posting his information in the Adoption section. Please let me know if you’d like to offer a home to this little sweetie!

In addition to offering him several mineral supplements free choice, I’ve been putting him in an outside cage near the flight pen for some time each day. This way he can catch some rays (vitamin D to help metabolize the minerals), see the other birds, and start getting used to outside temperatures. The rest of the day, he’s free to fly/putter around the spare bedroom.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

What a cutie! He looks like a younger version of my Bernadette, whose beak is also pretty much nonexistent. I believe Bern is a Satinette but honestly, the only way I know what kind of breeds my pigeons are, is when George or someone else tells me.  Good luck finding him a home, he sounds like such a sweetie.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

What a sweetie Bernadette is - love those muffed feet!


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Every day he gets at least an hour or so outside watching the other pigeons putter around the flight pen (pigeon soap operas). Sometimes he talks to them, especially if some of the other birds are vocalizing.

I weighed him the day I brought him home - 315 gms. I thought he felt rounder, so I weighed him again today - 355 gms! This bird has a good appetite and loves to be handed peas and safflower. I think he really enjoys the social interaction of "eating" together. After each bite, I pet him and tell him how clever he is.


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

Wow, he's certainly growing! It's great he's doing so well.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

His new head feathers are coming in and I thought some moisture would help make him more comfortable. We were having a gentle spring shower, so I put him in a small cage and put him outside on top of the flight pen. He *immediately* stuck a wing up and fluffed out his feathers, obviously enjoying himself.  Once he'd had a good time, I brought him in and took a quick photo - http://www.pigeons.biz/gallery/showimage.php?i=834&catid=member&imageuser=2192 - before blowing him dry. Afterward, he tucked in to a good feed and settled in for the night. 

Earlier in the day, I tried an experiment to try to determine if this is a he or a she. I brought the two Old German Owl (OGO) males inside and let the three of them lose in the bird room. There was a lot of grooming, but no obvious male or female behavior. Could be because the OGOs were both in courtship phase and had mates waiting outside. The next nice day, I'll try taking the new bird outside to the flight pen to see if that shows anything.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

Delightful bird, Terri! I'm so glad he or she has you looking after him/her!

I'm seriously tempted ..

Terry


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Yeah, this sweetness is what's making me think it might be a she. Yesterday, I was watching a movie and held the bird on my lap for over an hour with never a fidget. Never had a bird be that cuddly.

I happened to visit the American Owl web site and noticed that they had several articles which provided some very useful information about this breed. 

Because African Owls stick their noses in the water every time they drink, using powdered vitamins or supplements in their water predisposes them to sinus infections, like the one this bird is being treated for.

Because they have to stick their faces down into the feed, avoid very small seeds like millet which can get stuck in their nares.

Avoid very large seeds since they are prone to choking.


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## bluebirdsnfur (Jan 20, 2009)

OH MY HOW CUTE! I wouldn't have the heart to re-home that adorable pijie! I think you love each other and you should keep that sweeeeet baby TerryB


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

bluebirdsnfur said:


> ...I think you love each other and you should keep that sweeeeet baby TerryB


 If I kept every animal I cared for and fell in love with, the animal hoarder police would be banging on my door!


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## maryjane (Jul 15, 2006)

LOL I hear that! I'm glad she is doing so well.


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

*Archie loses flight pen privileges*

I'd been letting Archie spend more time in the flight pen to enjoy the warmer weather and get some sun. Since the other birds generally ignored him (and vice versa), he was out for several hours a day, with breaks to come in to eat and drink.

Well, yesterday morning, he decided to "invade" the coop! He must have been thinking of this for some time because he went right in. By the time I opened the door, Charlie had charged and rammed Archie right off the roost (I got there in time to catch him)! Neither bird was injured, but it Archie is sure acting like a male bird now!

So now he only goes out in the flight pen if I'm there to supervise. He's still bonded to people, and calls for me to spend time with him.


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## Maggie-NC (Jun 22, 2005)

Terri, I'm thinking, since you have named him, that you plan to keep Archie????? I hope so because he will have a wonderful life with you and be spoiled and pampered. Besides, what is one more??


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

Sure wish I could, but we are at our legal limit (and our neighbor watches). I started using a name because it's shorter than, "the stray African Owl"!


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