• Admissions & Booking
    • • Planning your visit
    • • Group Visits
    • • About your visit
    • • Meerkat Kastle
    • • Find Us
    • • Discovery Centre
    • • Download a map of S.O.S.
  • About S.O.S.
  • Making a Donation
  • Help for Injured Owls
    • * Avian Flu
    • • What to Do
    • • Injured Owls
    • • Orphaned Owls
    • • The S.O.S. Raptor Hospital
    • • Raptor Rescue Orgs.
    • • Help For Other Injured Wildlife
  • Adopt-an-Owl...
  • Saving Britain's Owls
    • • Overview
    • • Wild Owl Nestboxes
    • • Keeping Owls as Pets
    • • Owls & The Law
    • • Nest Box Scheme
  • Education at S.O.S.
    • • S.O.S. Education Department
    • • Education Visits to S.O.S.
    • • Outreach Visits
    • • Higher & Further Education
    • • School and Group Projects
    • • The SOS Shop
    • • "The Screecher" Newsletter
    • • Group Talks
  • Encounters & Experiences
    • • Gift Passes
    • • Close Encounters
    • • Owl Encounters
    • • Meerkat Encounters
    • • Armadillo Encounters
    • • Porcupine Encounters
    • • Half Day Animal Keeper
    • • Half Day Bird Keeper
    • • Keeper for the Day
    • • The WILD Club 2025
  • Pellet Detectives
  • S.O.S. Events
  • We Are Hiring
  • Raptor Factors
  • Photography at S.O.S.
    • • 2024 Photo Competition Results
  • Home Fun For Kids!
  • The S.O.S. Blog
  • Volunteering at S.O.S.
    • • Help Us at S.O.S. H.Q.
    • • Volunteer Hosts
    • • Corporate Volunteers
    • • Join the Owl-Reach Team!
  • Hedgehog Care
  • Bees, Bugs & Butterflies
  • Suffolk's Endangered Wildlife
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Legacies & Donations
  • Local Events & Places to Stay
  • Our Sponsors
  • S.O.S. Privacy Policy
  • Use of CCTV at S.O.S.
  • S.O.S. Safeguarding Policy
  • Menu

Suffolk Owl Sanctuary

  • Admissions & Booking
    • • Planning your visit
    • • Group Visits
    • • About your visit
    • • Meerkat Kastle
    • • Find Us
    • • Discovery Centre
    • • Download a map of S.O.S.
  • About S.O.S.
  • Making a Donation
  • Help for Injured Owls
    • * Avian Flu
    • • What to Do
    • • Injured Owls
    • • Orphaned Owls
    • • The S.O.S. Raptor Hospital
    • • Raptor Rescue Orgs.
    • • Help For Other Injured Wildlife
  • Adopt-an-Owl...
  • Saving Britain's Owls
    • • Overview
    • • Wild Owl Nestboxes
    • • Keeping Owls as Pets
    • • Owls & The Law
    • • Nest Box Scheme
  • Education at S.O.S.
    • • S.O.S. Education Department
    • • Education Visits to S.O.S.
    • • Outreach Visits
    • • Higher & Further Education
    • • School and Group Projects
    • • The SOS Shop
    • • "The Screecher" Newsletter
    • • Group Talks
  • Encounters & Experiences
    • • Gift Passes
    • • Close Encounters
    • • Owl Encounters
    • • Meerkat Encounters
    • • Armadillo Encounters
    • • Porcupine Encounters
    • • Half Day Animal Keeper
    • • Half Day Bird Keeper
    • • Keeper for the Day
    • • The WILD Club 2025
  • Pellet Detectives
  • S.O.S. Events
  • We Are Hiring
  • Raptor Factors
  • Photography at S.O.S.
    • • 2024 Photo Competition Results
  • Home Fun For Kids!
  • The S.O.S. Blog
  • Volunteering at S.O.S.
    • • Help Us at S.O.S. H.Q.
    • • Volunteer Hosts
    • • Corporate Volunteers
    • • Join the Owl-Reach Team!
  • Hedgehog Care
  • Bees, Bugs & Butterflies
  • Suffolk's Endangered Wildlife
  • Newsletter Archive
  • Legacies & Donations
  • Local Events & Places to Stay
  • Our Sponsors
  • S.O.S. Privacy Policy
  • Use of CCTV at S.O.S.
  • S.O.S. Safeguarding Policy


The Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
Stonham Barns
Pettaugh Road
Stonham Aspal IP14 6AT
e-mail:
info@owlhelp.org.uk

Tel: 03456 807 897
Option 3: General information
+ Adoptions, Courses etc.
Option 5: If you need help with an injured bird of prey

Reg. Charity No. 1086565

This poor Tawny Owl had more than a bump to the head

Tail-less Tawny

August 15, 2022

A few weeks ago we had an unusual case with a Tawny Owl. When he arrived, it was evident he had suffered some kind of head trauma as the eyes were bruised and swollen. However, Jess was surprised to find he was also missing his tail and had a puncture wound under his wing, suggesting that he had been caught by a predator or had been caught up somewhere.

In the hospital we are able to check the health of the raptors eyes by using an opthalmoscope to bounce light to the back of the eye, and detect any issues there may be. Many birds could be released with serious eye issues resulting in partial or full blindness that are often missed, due to the nature of the injury, and it is not always apparent there is an issue until you take a look at the eye more closely.

As you can see here the first eye looks cloudy, but upon scoping it is evident there is trauma to the retina and bruising that could result in partial blindness - compared to the second eye which looks much more normal and has a distinct pinky hue to the retina which is far healthier. Anti inflammatory medication can help the healing process, but during this time the eye health must be monitored for signs of decline or improvement.

New tail feathers growing out. All bird feathers grow "in pin" which protects the blood supply to the feather as it grows. The keratin sheath falls away as the feather reaches its full length, revealing the fresh plume.

After a couple of weeks in our care with plenty of food, he started to regrow his tail feathers. His eyes have cleared a bit, but one is still a bit cloudy, so we’re waiting a bit longer to see if his vision is compromised long term. He has been moved to a larger outdoor aviary to give him space to fly around and build up some fitness again, and we are monitoring him closely.

Prev / Next

Featured Posts

Top
Featured
May 13, 2025
No Mow May
May 13, 2025
May 13, 2025
Mar 16, 2025
British Science Week 2025
Mar 16, 2025
Mar 16, 2025
Mar 2, 2025
World Wildlife Day 2025
Mar 2, 2025
Mar 2, 2025
Feb 27, 2025
A Visit From Our Vet- Meerkat Microchipping and Raptor Rehabilitation
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 27, 2025
Feb 2, 2025
National Hedgehog Day 2025
Feb 2, 2025
Feb 2, 2025
Jan 24, 2025
How to Help Birds this Winter
Jan 24, 2025
Jan 24, 2025
Jan 6, 2025
For Eve – Autumn Days.
Jan 6, 2025
Jan 6, 2025
Nov 15, 2024
A Brief Summary of the History of Falconry
Nov 15, 2024
Nov 15, 2024
Oct 1, 2024
Red Squirrel Awareness Week
Oct 1, 2024
Oct 1, 2024
Sep 13, 2024
International Vulture Awareness Day 2024
Sep 13, 2024
Sep 13, 2024
Sep 3, 2024
Meet the New Team Members!
Sep 3, 2024
Sep 3, 2024
Jul 5, 2024
Red Squirrels return to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary
Jul 5, 2024
Jul 5, 2024
Apr 4, 2024
Winter guests released
Apr 4, 2024
Apr 4, 2024
Mar 27, 2024
Why no Owls???
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 27, 2024
Mar 18, 2024
British Science Week 2024
Mar 18, 2024
Mar 18, 2024
Mar 13, 2024
Lizzy the Tangled Tawny Owl
Mar 13, 2024
Mar 13, 2024
Feb 27, 2024
Sparrowhawk rescue
Feb 27, 2024
Feb 27, 2024
Feb 12, 2024
Volunteer Training
Feb 12, 2024
Feb 12, 2024
Feb 12, 2024
Double release marks historic moment
Feb 12, 2024
Feb 12, 2024
Feb 1, 2024
Lincoln stays with his best friend
Feb 1, 2024
Feb 1, 2024
Jan 29, 2024
Mary the Buzzard
Jan 29, 2024
Jan 29, 2024
Jan 26, 2024
Piper the Tawny Owl
Jan 26, 2024
Jan 26, 2024
Jan 4, 2024
Hospital updates
Jan 4, 2024
Jan 4, 2024
Dec 29, 2023
What a year for learning...
Dec 29, 2023
Dec 29, 2023
Dec 12, 2023
24 hours later...
Dec 12, 2023
Dec 12, 2023
Dec 11, 2023
Chimney Tawny
Dec 11, 2023
Dec 11, 2023
Nov 28, 2023
Group volunteers lend a hand
Nov 28, 2023
Nov 28, 2023
Nov 28, 2023
Winter maintenance for nest boxes
Nov 28, 2023
Nov 28, 2023
Nov 8, 2023
New home for Nelson
Nov 8, 2023
Nov 8, 2023
Nov 7, 2023
A Tale of two Shorties
Nov 7, 2023
Nov 7, 2023