The hotel is located on the picturesque Baranof Island in southeast Alaska. Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka mainly refers to the signature of the region bald eagles. These are big birds production is almost three feet high and the span of their wings over 6 feet– so one can only imagine how amazing it must have been when staff received a sparrow-sized northern pygmy owl – Alaska's smallest owl species.
“Housing such a tiny owl is always a challenge! All of our aviaries are designed for larger birds!” Jennifer Cedarleaf– says the director of the Avian center Popular Science. “We will take in any bird that needs help. So although this tiny owl is unusual for us, we are here to help injured birds and do everything we can to return them to their natural habitat.”
The tiny predator was found by his rescuers as he sat in their yard in Ketchikan with his left wing twisted. They named him the Owl Kingand faced a momentary dilemma. They couldn't just take His Majesty from Ketchikan to the Alaska Raptor Center in Sitka. These cities are located on two different islands, between which there is no transport connection. Instead of, King Sovbert took a 40-minute flight aboard an Alaska Airlines aircraft.
[ Related: Why a ‘donut’ can help injured birds. ]
WITH northern pygmy owls can get stressful quickly, Cedarleaf was nervous about the trip. The center instructed rescuers to place King Sovbert in a kennel, all of the windows and doors of which were covered with cardboard with holes. This allows air to circulate while keeping the enclosure dark and low visibility, which helps predators stay calm.
Upon arrival, King Owl was healthy but a little thin, weighing 52 grams (about two ounces). Northern pygmy owls are usually weigh between 60 and 70 grams or about two ounces. Since his arrival, the team have fed him mice and, thanks to a steady diet, he has gained weight to 57 grams, roughly equivalent to 23 pennies.
“Because he has a drooping wing, we wrapped his wing in what we call a figure 8 bandage. This bandage wraps around his wing and then continues around his chest, under the good wing, providing support for the injured wing,” Cedarleaf explained. “One of the things we worry about with his droopy wing is that he will break his flight feathers and that will increase the amount of time he will be with us.”
Cedarleaf and her colleagues believe the tiny predator could have flown through the window and wounded his wing. Considering they didn't find any broken bones, King Sovbert may have suffered a soft tissue injury.
“We are treating his wing with cold laser therapy to increase blood flow to the wing and promote healing,” Cedarleaf said, adding that the most difficult aspect of caring for this adorable patient is his tiny size. “We are also doing physical therapy to keep his joints moving. We really hope that his injury will go away with time and we can return him to his natural habitat.”
2025 Holiday Gift Guide
