A cheeky owl was captured by the police for breaking and entering into a home.
Animal rescuers and police in Connecticut, USA, were called to a West Hartford home to arrest a rogue bird, identified as an Eastern Screech Owl.
The West Hartford Police Department said in a Facebook post that an officer responded alongside an animal control officer and personnel from the A Place Called Hope rehabilitation center when the owl managed to sneak into the house.
A photo shared by the department shows the owl perched on a shelf among some board games, as per United Press International.
A cheeky owl was captured by the police for breaking and entering into a home
Image credits: Photographie AMG/Pexels
“The owl was safely captured and has been rehabilitated by the rescue. As of this post, the owl is doing great and said to be released shortly,” the post said.
The Screech Owl likely found its way into the homeowners’ basement via an uncovered chimney stack that led to a furnace clean out in the basement or a fireplace, Christine Cummings, the president from A Place Called Hope (APCH), explained.
She told Bored Panda in an email: “We can’t say for certain how the little owl ended up inside, but it is certainly no place for a wild owl to be! And owls don’t give a hoot about Candy Land.”
Christine revealed that the species was the second smallest owl found in Connecticut. “Based on its size, it is presumed to be a male,” she explained. “Males are typically smaller than females,” she added.
It was identified as an Eastern Screech Owl
Image credits: Town of West Hartford Police Department
The expert continued: “This owl was very hungry and dehydrated upon admission.
“Lucky for him, nothing was broken. We don’t know how long he had been trapped indoors.”
APCH’s goal is to return such wild birds back to their natural habitat as soon as they are able to.
“This owl has been outside in an aviary space for the past few days in preparation for release,” Christine said.
She further explained: “The owl will be returned to the property, which is where this owl lives.
“They have mates and remain within a particular territory for their life span.
“These small owls would be lucky to live 6-10 years in the wild.
“Due to their size and the many predators and conflicts they face living so close to us humans, they don’t have a very long expectancy.
“In captivity, they can live up to 13 years on average.”
The owl was found perched on a shelf among some board games in Connecticut, USA
Image credits: Town of West Hartford Police Department
According to the APCH president, Screech Owls come in two colors: red and gray. The owl found at the Connecticut home was gray.
“They don’t screech, actually. Their sound is more like a spooky horse whinny,” Christine said.
She further explained: “James Audubon misnamed this species when he heard the sound of a Barn Owl, who actually screeches while looking at a Screech Owl. The name stuck regardless.”
As a bonus owl fact, Christine revealed that these small birds slowly wink at potential mates as part of their courtship ritual.
She said: “If the male winks at the female, and she is interested, she will wink back, and they are automatically married!”
"Maybe he wanted to play some games?" a reader suggested
