Rescuers Repurpose Laundry Basket Into Bird’s Nest To Save Baby Owl That Fell From Tree

Mar 13, 2023

A newborn baby owl has been reunited with its parents after rescuers were able to use a laundry basket as a makeshift nest.

On Feb. 26, 2023, the Center for the Rehabilitation of Wildlife, Inc (CROW) posted on Facebook that members at a golf course in Fort Myers, Florida, had spotted a baby great horned owl on its grounds. A call to CROW later, and its staff – or rehabbers – were on the scene to take the young hatchling into its care.

“Upon examination, the owlet was unharmed and only days old as the egg tooth was still present!” it wrote in the post alongside photos of the little bird still covered in its white baby feathers. The center added the species of owl are not the most patient of parents. Notoriously terrible nest makers, great horned owls tend to leave the area for good if they experience nest failure. Knowing this to be the case, the staff were eager to get the little one back to its parents as soon as possible.

The rehabbers hatched a plan – they would repurpose a laundry basket and fill it with natural nesting material, secure it to a tree and pop the baby in. Luckily for them, they spotted the owl’s parents on the day of renesting. The center said a volunteer “carefully climbed to secure the new nest and owlet back in the original nesting tree. Thanks to their quick action, the renesting effort was a success, and the parents were both seen back in the tree with their baby!” 

The center also shared videos of the renesting endeavor on social media, showing the adorable baby owl squirming in the hands of a rehabber. The video also highlighted the egg tooth, a small deposit of calcium used to break out of an egg, still apparent on the tip of the chick’s beak. The video also showed volunteers and rehabbers using a tall ladder to get the faux laundry basket nest up into a tree. “When our staff left the nesting area, they were happy to see that the parents had returned to the nest and they were looking after their little hatchling,” a voiceover explained.

However, when CROW members returned on a later date to check on the baby bird, staff at the golf course informed them that the owl’s parents had been seen bringing food to a different tree. Upon checking that tree, the CROW staff were thrilled to find not only a secure nest but another baby owl already inside!

They then set to work getting the laundry basket down from the tree and gave the young hatchling a quick wellness check. After getting the green light, they took the baby back to its original nest and reunited it with its sibling. 

“The siblings had reunited, the parents had returned and the renesting was successful!” the video explained.

CROW also reminded folks in the caption to contact wildlife experts when it comes to handling wild animals. It wrote:

“Remember, the nest is best! If you find a wild baby, please always contact your nearest wildlife rehab center for assistance in reuniting. No one can raise them better than their wild parents!”

How utterly adorable is the little great horned owlet? Don’t you think it’s great to have centers like CROW that can help in situations like this one? Let us know and don’t forget to pass this along to friends and family who adore animals, too.