10/29/2026
We are incredibly grateful to the New England Wildlife Center for helping care for this owl! We’re thankful to have played a small part in his recovery journey and wish him all the best as he continues to heal.
This little Northern Saw-whet Owl was found on the side of a road in Marshfield, MA, unable to fly away.
Marshfield Animal Control brought him to our hospital and, upon examination, our veterinary team found trauma to his right eye. We suspect he may have been hit by a car, which is unfortunately a common injury for owls this time of year. Northern Saw-whet Owls are the smallest owl species here in New England, and as the weather gets colder some migrate in search of food and a more temperate winter habitat. That extra movement and body heat needed to keep warm requires a lot of calories, which means they may be hunting along busy roadways as they search for their next meal.
He’s been stabilized, and we’re hopeful that with some cage rest, supportive care and pain meds he’s on the path to recovery. He’s due for a recheck in the next couple of days, which will give us a better idea of how he’s recuperating and whether his vision has been affected.
Northern Saw-whet Owls may be small, but they’re skilled nighttime hunters. Unlike hawks and falcons, who primarily hunt during the day and rely heavily on their vision to spot prey, owls rely on their exceptional hearing to help them hunt in the dark.
Like other owls, Northern Saw-whet Owls rely on both sight and hearing to hunt, and their exceptional hearing helps them locate prey in the dark. Even owls with vision loss in one eye can usually adapt well enough to return to the wild. Ultimately, it depends on their individual injuries and whether they can successfully hunt and catch live prey.
Ocular injuries in birds of prey are not always visible from the outside so an ophthalmic exam is always conducted by our veterinary team as part of our initial exam. If you find an injured raptor its always best to have them fully examined. Thank you to Marshfield Animal Control for getting him to us for evaluation. We’ll keep monitoring this little guy and keep you posted as we learn more!
