The Screech Owl Companion

Curbing Rat Poisons

A friend in Massachusetts passed along this photo. The road sign has a link to an excellent website with all sorts of helpful information about addressing local rodent problems. 

The link is here.

If you scroll down, you’ll see alternatives to using these nasty poisons.

Slowly but surely,  the anti-rat-poison movement is gaining momentum in several parts of the United States and Canada.

Allendale was the first municipality in New Jersey to ban the use of rat poison on borough property.  next step is to go after the rats’ easy access to food in our downtown area. 

Kudos to Newbury, Mass.

Dead Screech Owl Update

Last week, I brought an ailing screech owl to the Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital, too late.

It died shortly after, despite their best efforts. 

New Jersey’s wildlife pathologist did a necropsy on the owl and found that it had died because it was egg-bound.

In other words, an egg got stuck in her oviduct. It’s an uncommon occurrence in wild birds. The owl otherwise appeared to be in good health. 

I am thankful that the state responded so quickly to my request.

I will let you know if/when I hear more. 

The Death of a Screech Owl

I am saddened to report the death of a screech owl from nearby Hillsdale, N.J.. A friend brought the barely breathing raptor, wrapped in a towel,  to my home yesterday morning. I drove it to the Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital, where it died soon after. 

   The homeowner had seen the owl for the first time the day before, when it was perched on a porch lamp post, and she called for help when she found  it huddled nearby the following morning.

  The owl had no signs of trauma, and we are seeking a necropsy to find the cause of death.

    If the owl had lived, a volunteer would have taken it to The Raptor Trust, a non-profit animal hospital and rehab center for injured and orphaned birds of prey, but it never got that far.

   A few things come to mind:

• It’s a tough life for raptors and other wild animals in our human world, and we would not even have known about this owl’s life or death if it had not been for some very caring individuals.
•  Thank goodness for the Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital, The Raptor Trust, and their amazing staffs and volunteers.  Where we would turn for help without them?

   If you would like to help the Franklin Lakes Animal Hospital help injured and orphaned wild animals, you can donate to their non-profit arm, the Animal Friends of Franklin Lakes, which  “is committed to providing care, comfort and compassion to injured and orphaned wildlife and finding forever homes for stray and abandoned domestic animals.  Funds are raised to help offset medical costs, to shelter and to provide financial support to animal owners.”

   If you would like to help The Raptor Trust, which has been a godsend for decades, go to and click the big “DONATE” button in the upper right.

Join Me at The Raptor Trust

 Join me on Sunday between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. at The Raptor Trust’s Education Center, 1390 White Bridge Rd., Millington, for an open house that’s all about owls.

   The event features my latest book, "The Screech Owl Companion,” and offers plenty of cool owl touch-table items, interactive displays, giveaways, book signing, and all you could ever want to know about New Jersey’s cutest owl. This event is co-sponsored by The Nature Conservancy in New Jersey.

    The event is free and fun for all ages, with no reservations required (donations are appreciated).