Make California Post a Preferred Source Owl be damned.
One Ventura owl took a nighttime hunting trip and somehow wound up needing a lift from the fire department after getting stranded in a backyard swimming pool.
Firefighters pulled off the decidedly un-owl-like rescue with a pool leaf skimmer, using it to coax the soaked bird toward the edge before getting it back onto dry grass.
Video posted Monday by the fire department shows the owl sitting beside the pool with its eyes wide open and no obvious signs of major injury.
“Glad this little guy is safe and back on his way,” firefighters said on Facebook.
The bird’s identity remains a mystery, but Ventura County is no stranger to owls.
California is home to an impressive variety of the birds, and according to local wildlife authorities such as the Ojai Raptor Center, three species are overwhelmingly common in the region.
So what lured this particular bird into the backyard deep end?
Owls hunt after dark and can swoop toward pools while chasing prey such as frogs, rodents and large insects.
The water’s reflective surface can also fool them into thinking they are looking at open ground, which is a particularly bad illusion to fall for when there is a swimming pool underneath it.Then there are the lights.
Bright decorative lighting around or inside a pool can attract moths, beetles and frogs, potentially turning the backyard into an irresistible nighttime hunting ground for an owl.
Unfortunately for this feathered hunter, the evening ended with a trip to the Ojai Raptor Center, where the bird is now being treated.
Officials have not provided an update on its condition.
The center advises people who find wildlife in distress to consult a local rehabilitation center before attempting a rescue themselves.
Different species have different behaviors and needs, so what looks like an easy backyard save may require more specialized care.Photos and videos can also give rehabilitators a better idea of what they are dealing with and help them assess the animal’s condition.
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