BOPNW rehomes owls
Great Horn owlets are rehomed in a new nest at the Elk Mountain Farms in Boundary County thanks to help from Birds of Prey Northwest.
(Courtesy Photo)
Birds of Prey Northwest officials and Elk Farms officials with Great Horned Owls set to be rehomed. (left) Don Veltkamp and Jaine Veltkamp with BOPNW.
COPELAND — Three great horned owls were recovered at Elk Mountain Farms after having trouble staying in a rickety nest.
The young owlets were placed with a foster mother owl at the Birds of Prey Northwest facility in St. Maries.The group’s mission is to educate the public about birds of prey, through on-site and virtual live raptor presentations and other expanding outreach as well as provide medical treatment to injured, sick, and orphaned wild raptors before returning them to the wild.
“This is done to avoid imprinting on humans,” Janie Veltkamp, raptor biologist and rehabilitation specialist, said. “Owls typically do not build their own nests, but borrow nests of ravens or hawks.”
The nest received some much-needed fortification, thanks to hop farm employees Emily Schulze and Than Widner who constructed a new nest. After nest repairs were completed Birds of Prey Northwest returned to Bonners Ferry with the young owls. Schulze and Widner were there to give the founding director of Birds of Prey Northwest a lift to the tree top, where the family was reunited.
The nonprofit offers tours of its St Maries raptor center between May and September, and also tours Idaho with its educational eagles, hawks, owls and falcons.
For appointments email: janie@bopnw.org
If you need help with a grounded or injured bird of prey call BOPNW at 208-582-0797.
Birds of Prey Northwest officials and Elk Farms officials with Great Horned Owls set to be rehomed. (left) Don Veltkamp and Jaine Veltkamp with BOPNW.