Municipal Animal Control Officer Carolee Mason says owl rescues are frequent and estimates she has helped about 25 of them in a decade of work here in town.

A live but injured barred owl found at the Route 34/Toddy Hill Road intersection in mid March, however, has gotten a lot more attention than others that somehow have flown under the radar.

That is because information about the bird circulated around Facebook. “The owl made social media,” Mason said with a laugh.

Mason was not initially called but learned about the bird in distress from a contact in town on the morning of St Patrick’s Day, after the owl had been moved to a branch on a tree by someone the night before.

Mason said Weston-based Wildlife In Crisis was called by someone to report the incident. It is not uncommon for officials from Wildlife In Crisis or animal control to tell people to leave wild animals alone to have a chance to recover, said Mason, noting that they often are simply in shock and need a little time to get back on their feet (or in the air). Mason went to visit the owl after being notified.

“I tried to scare him away, but he couldn’t fly,” said Mason, who realized she needed to help and got the owl out of the tree with the assistance of resident and friend Tim Sullivan.

Mason took the owl to Dr John Robb of Protect The Pets, 98 S Main Street; Dr Robb, Mason said, often provides necessary treatment and care for wildlife while animal control sets up transferring them to a wildlife care facilitator, Mason said.

There are several wildlife facilitators, Mason noted, but she especially likes Wildlife In Crisis because they go to the effort of bringing wildlife back to the same place it was found.

“They’re very territorial, these big birds,” Mason said of owls and hawks, adding that animal rescue has helped an average of 15 to 20 hawks every year.

Birds get caught in fences, hit by cars, or poisoned by lawn chemicals; additionally, baby birds fall from nests, Mason said.

Mason said this owl is said to be doing well and that she was informed it would be released.

Mason advises people who come across an injured bird or other wild animal to let it be and call either animal control at 203-426-6900 or Wildlife In Crisis at 203-544-9913. Sometimes, people think they have come across an injured bird that is actually only a fledgling who can’t fly yet.

Mason added that she urges people to not put themselves in danger, but if an injured or startled bird is blocking a roadway, for example, and someone can safely pull over and retrieve the bird with a blanket or towel he or she can move the bird off the side of the road and to safety. Mason warns that birds get stressed following an accident and have sharp claws and beaks.

The animal control officer noted that incidents involving big birds such as owls and hawks have been in the rise in recent years, something she attributes, in part, to an increase of food source provided by more residents raising backyard chickens.

“That’s food for them. That’s why they’re hanging around,” Mason said.