Owl breeding pair adopts block of flats in Soweto, but can’t keep their chicks

A barn owlet has been removed from a residential block of flats in Kliptown, Soweto and taken into care by the Owl Rescue Centre.

Bishop Romeo Hudson and Jeremiah Rapola, the building supervisor, rescued the owlet from the bottom of the gutter downpipe, said the centre.

The building has played home to a breeding pair for some time, with adult owls typically reoccupying the same nesting territory.

“What is special about this rescue is that it is our 30th owlet patient from the same building over the past 10 years,” said the centre.

“Jeremiah always ensures the safety of the owls until we can get there. He says though most residents don’t fuss too much about their feathery neighbours, some are afraid of them, and to avoid anything untoward , he makes the call to us to get them to the sanctuary.”

It is not normal for young barn owls to be out of the nest before they can fly, according to the Barn Owl Trust in the UK.

“Adult barn owls will normally only feed their nestlings in the nest. Owlets on the ground will usually be ignored and will almost certainly die.”

The trust recommends owlets that are too young to fly should be placed back in the nest where feasible, saying they will not be rejected by their parents.

The Owl Rescue Centre near Hartbeespoort is a not-for-profit organisation that rescues and rehabilitates owls before releasing them back into the wild when they can survive on their own.

TimesLIVE