(Medicine River Wildlife Centre/Facebook)

By rdnewsNOW Staff

RESULT OF ENCLOSURE UPGRADES

Medicine River Wildlife Centre celebrates first birth of baby great horned owls

May 20, 2025 | 9:15 AM

The Medicine River Wildlife Centre (MRWC) is celebrating the success of an upgraded enclosure after two great horned owls were born earlier in May, a first for the organization’s 41 years of operation.

Carol Kelly, Executive Director, MRWC, said the two owlets are growing healthily.

Explaining how the situation came about, Kelly said, “Generally they don’t breed unless they feel they have a territory. When we have six or eight owls out in an enclosure, that’s not a territory. But I guess this one is big enough that they felt that they could have the whole end of the enclosure to become their territory.”

The centre has spent the last three years building the new enclosure and the finishing touches are expected to occur early this summer.

“We’re pleased that what we’ve built has made them feel comfortable enough to do this kind of thing,” Kelly reflected.

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As the babies are healthy, MRWC practice is to release them into the wild to be raised by foster families, rather than have them remain in captivity. This practice reduces the centre’s costs and allows it to focus time and resources on the animals that are truly sick and need their attention, she explained.

To accomplish this, the babies will be taken to a pre-determined area known to have owls that would make a suitable foster placement. Wild owls will hear the babies’ cries and, ideally, believe they are coming from one of their own, and swoop in to retrieve them.

In the meantime, staff at the centre have avoided naming them and must avoid speaking to them.

“We try to keep it as natural as we possibly can and not have them get used to people in any way,” said Kelly.

The larger owlet is expected to join its foster family by the end of May, while the smaller one needs more time to grow.

She notes it’s baby season for most animals right now, and asks residents to be aware and keep their eyes out for any in their area. The MRWC has information on their website regarding what to do to support those you find.