Unlikely Brothers

Age: Approx. 2-3 weeks
Mass: 351 grams

No, burrowing owls don't grow that fast. This is Shorty, a young short-eared owl that was recovered by a SK Conservation Officer. Shorty's nest was about to be seeded over, so Shorty and his five siblings were rescued and brought to SBOIC. After getting looked over by a vet, Shorty was released to me to become SBOIC's new ambassador short-eared owl.

Why a short-eared owl? Doesn't SBOIC just work on burrowing owls?

Of the 12 owl species found in Saskatchewan, short-eared owls are the species most commonly mistaken for burrowing owls. Their population is also declining and no one knows why.

We'll occasionally check in on Shorty's new job.


****SBOIC is licensed to keep and display all their educational animals. Only qualifed individuals with proper permits are allowed to keep native species. Taking an animal from its wild home is illegal. Keep our animals wild, and leave them in their homes.