The tawny owl was brought to Folly Wildlife Rescue in November with a split bill – possibly the result of a collision – and was treated using procedure not performed at the centre before, veterinary nurse Rachel Bright told the Times.
She and the rescue centre’s veterinarian, Ashley Clayton, undertook the operation on December 3, placing dental putty on the bird’s beak to bind it together, so the keratin – the same material that fingernails and claws are made of – could grow. Without this, the owl would have been helpless in the wild.
“They use their beaks for everything, eating, building nests, defending themselves,” said Ms Bright.
She explained the centre tries to minimise handling of wild animals, but this case was a different, due to the urgent need for the beak to grow back: “We kept her for three weeks to allow her beak to grow, and she spent that time in our aviary, where it was a bit quieter,” added Ms Bright. “The aviary lets us be more hands-off.”
The owl was released back into the wild in mid-January.
Photo credit: Folly Wildlife Rescue
