WunderPhotos®

This male Great Horned Owl is a large owl native to the Americas. It is an adaptable bird with a vast range and is the most widely distributed true owl in the Americas. Individual Great Horned Owls range in length from 18-27 inches and have a wingspan of 40-60.5 inches. Females are larger than males, an average adult being 22 inches long with a 49 inch wingspan and weighing about 3.1 lbs. Adults have large ear tufts, a reddish, brown or gray face and a white patch on the throat. The iris is yellow. I photographed this beautiful rescued owl at Wildlife Haven in Ils Des Chenes, Manitoba. The Manitoba Wildlife Rehabilitation Organization (MWRO) was founded in 1984 when a group of environmentally concerned citizens banded together to form Manitoba's first wildlife rehabilitation organization. Initially, MWRO operated out of the back yards of its volunteers, but soon realized its necessity of a Wildlife Rehab centre. In 1993, MWRO constructed a wildlife Hospital set on a beautiful 1 hectare treed lot leased from the University of Manitoba's Glenlea Research Station. The Centre had grown to consist of an Administration building, Wildlife Hospital, numerous pre-release cages, eight raptor cages, two 30 metre-long flight-conditioning cages, nine large songbird aviaries, one waterfowl enclosure featuring a 12' x 24' pool, and three mammal enclosures. In 2003 the MWRO became known as the Wildlife Haven Rehabilitation Centre. In 2008 the organization relocated to a facility in Ile des Chenes, Manitoba where it continues today to provide care for Manitoba's injured and orphaned Wildlife, 365 days a year. While this temporary site in Ile des Chenes has served it well, the organization continues to receive approximately 1700 animals and 5,000 public inquiries every year, and they are actively seeking a new permanent location.