Not such a hoot for tangled owl rescued from 30ft up in tree
A stricken owl found hanging more than 30ft up a tree tangled up in a fishing line has been rescued by firefighters.
The bird was spotted struggling to get free of the discarded line by a passer-by who raised the alert.
Now the tawny owl is on the mend after being treated – with steam from a kettle.
Fire crews called to the incident in Green Lane in Walsall requested the assistance of the RSPCA.
The charity's animal collection officer Cat Strawford said: "We don’t know for sure how long he was hanging there for. However he was first spotted by a member of the public at 8.30am that morning.
"As owls are nocturnal it is likely he’d gotten tangled the night before. The poor bird could have been struggling for hours.
"Once he was safely brought down, I checked over him but unfortunately saw that he had damage to the feathers on his left wing."
The owl had to be taken to the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange wildlife centre in Nantwich, Cheshire, to be treated – although the remedy turned out to be very basic.
Bev Panto, vet at the centre, said: "It sounds like an odd treatment but it is simple and it works. The owl’s damaged feathers were held over steam from a kettle for a few seconds and this helped the damaged feathers to naturally repair back together.
“The owl is currently in our isolation unit where he is recovering well. Soon he will move into our aviary before being released back into the wild.
"He was extremely lucky that there were no more serious injuries as often birds caught in fishing line end up with compromised blood supply to their tissues, and in severe cases can even lose limbs as a result.”
The charity urges fishing enthusiasts to be extra cautious when packing up to make sure no litter is left behind as a line can wrap around necks causing deep wounds in flesh and cutting off the blood supply, while hooks can pierce beaks, become embedded in skin or get caught in the bird's throat. Weights can also be swallowed causing internal injuries and blockages.
Anyone who spots an injured bird is asked to report it to the RSPCA via the charity’s 24-hour helpline on 0300 1234 999.
