Man Saves Young Barred Owl Wedged In Tree

Nathan Perry, a photographer from Cortland, Ohio, was walking through the woods with his father when something unusual caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

At first glance, it looked like nothing more than part of the tree. But when Perry used his camera to zoom in, he realized it was actually a young barred owl tightly wedged between tree branches.

“My Dad filmed me while I pulled a stuck owl out of a tree today!” Perry shared afterwards. “I barely saw something move in the woods and used my camera to zoom in and thought it was dead until I saw it move.”

Perry carefully worked to free the trapped bird, gently trying to lift it out before cutting away a few branches that were pinning it in place. Eventually, he was able to pull the owl’s head free and safely remove the young bird from the tree.

Once placed gently on the ground, the young bird appeared shaken but otherwise okay. Nearby, another owl — believed to be its sibling — watched the rescue unfold from above.

“It seemed lovely and okay, if not a bit stunned, after I placed it on the ground,” he wrote.

Wanting to give the birds space, Perry and his father left the area and later returned to check on them. By then, both owls were gone.

After sharing the experience online, Perry said several raptor experts told him he had done the right thing by helping free the trapped owl. Now, he’s simply hopeful the young bird safely continued on its journey in the wild.

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