The Residents at Return to the Wild

Abby, Harris’ Hawk


Parabuteo unicinctus
Abby is a retired falconry bird. She is unable to hunt because of a foot injury. She is a large girl, weighing in at 38 oz., and her favorite food is gutted quail. A favorite of falconer’s, they are a great hunting partner as they are one of the few raptor species that will hunt in cooperation with other Harris hawks in the wild. A large female will sit waiting at the end of a valley while a few smaller, more agile males will chase toward her.



Taki, Eurasian Eagle Owl


Bubo bubo
This beautiful owl is a member of the largest owl species on earth! She is 30 inches long and weighs nearly 7 pounds (compared to our bald ealge that weighs about nine pounds!). She was captive bred for education. Her species hails from continental Eurasia. This photo was taken when she was only three months old, and already weighed five pounds. She is VERY vocal, singing at night a simple ooooHOOooo.



Mowgli, Great Horned Owl

Mowgli, Great Horned Owl

Mowgli is a Great Horned Owl (Bubo virginianus) who came to RTTW as a young bird which had imprinted on humans.  She is not releasable because in the wild she will seek out a human and not an owl for a mate. Mowgli greets visitors with a hearty owl hoot, and is doing very well at presentations.  At 250 lbs of pressure per square inch, her talons are serious weapons.  In the wild, Great Horned Owls are one of the only predators of skunks.  Her “ears” are actually on the side of her head, and not those tufts on top.



Barn Owl

Barn Owl

RTTW welcomes its newest resident, a beautiful representative of the species Tyto alba pratincola, the North American barn owl.   Barn owls were once common in North America, but they need winter protection.  With so many barns and other rural structures being razed for land development, their numbers have decreased dramatically in the Midwest.   This owl needs a name, and we’re happy to consider your suggestions!