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Great Horned Owl Gets “Owl” Up in an SUV’s Grille

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An owl who ran afoul with an SUV in Virginia got stuck in the vehicle's grille for nearly 160 miles

Well “owl” be damned!
Photo:Andrea Westmoreland

Because great horned owls are highly sedentary birds, they rarely travel more than a few miles outside of their established territories, even while hunting. Recently, one owl in Virginia traveled far more than a few miles, though probably not in a way that it enjoyed.

Last week, Petersburg Animal Care and Control discovered an owl who had been trapped in a Chevy SUV’s grille for 160 miles.


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The owl reportedly became lodged in the grille somewhere near Roanoke. However, the bird was not discovered until after the driver had made it to Petersburg, which is approximately 160 miles from Roanoke.

Petersburg Animal Care and Control was then called out to the scene. Animal Care and Control employees proceeded to remove the owl from the vehicle’s grille and place it in a cage for its own safety and protection.


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Despite the owl’s harrowing journey, it emerged with only minor injuries. Petersburg Animal Care and Control reports that a blood vessel near the owl’s right eye was busted, but other than that, the avian animal was able to make a full recovery.

“We rarely get to see great horned owls up close and we’re so happy he will be OK,” the Petersburg Animal Control and Care wrote on their Facebook page.

You can take a look at that same Facebook page below:

The owl was eventually sent to a local rehabilitation center and released last Sunday. It’s good to know that this bird of prey is “owl” right now.

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News Source: Jalopnik