Barn Owl Survives 70 Miles Offshore, Rehydrated After British Army Rescue

Q: How did a land-dwelling barn owl end up fighting for its life 70 miles out in the unforgiving ocean?

The most likely explanation is that the barn owl accidentally hitched a ride on a fishing boat and was carried far offshore, then became stranded when it tried to leave or was forced off. That is the view of James Stannard of the Barn Owl Trust, who said the rescue was highly unusual and believed the owl may have been roosting on a fishing vessel before ending up 70 miles out in the North Sea. Barn owls are not seabirds and do not migrate over open water, making it extremely unlikely the bird deliberately flew that far out to sea on its own. The owl’s condition supports that theory. By the time the Army Offshore Racing Team found it, the bird was exhausted, dehydrated, underweight and repeatedly trying to land on the yacht. Crew members said it fell into the sea several times before collapsing on deck. Wildlife rescuers noted that barn owls do not have waterproof feathers, so time in the water or bad weather could quickly turn fatal. Experts said it was “nothing short of a miracle” that the owl found the racing boat when it did. Without that chance encounter, and the handover to the Caister Independent Lifeboat and East Winch Wildlife Centre, it may not have survived. So while no one saw the owl’s full journey, the evidence points to an accidental trip offshore aboard another vessel, followed by a desperate struggle to find somewhere to land.

Q: Why did an elite Army racing crew risk their competition time to save a drowning bird from the sea?

They did it because the owl was in immediate danger of dying and the crew judged that saving it outweighed any small competitive cost. The barn owl, later nicknamed Little Reg, was found about 70 miles offshore during the Round Britain and Ireland race. Crew members saw it repeatedly trying to land on the yacht, falling into the sea several times, and finally collapsing on deck from exhaustion. Barn owl specialists said the situation was highly unusual and likely life-threatening: the bird was dehydrated, underweight and run down, and barn owls are not built to survive long at sea. The soldiers’ response was practical as much as compassionate. They wrapped the owl in a towel, kept it warm, sheltered it in a box, and gave it food and water while continuing the race. They then worked with the Barn Owl Trust, Marine and Wildlife Rescue and Caister Independent Lifeboat to arrange a handover off the Norfolk coast. Experts involved said the owl was lucky to find the Army boat and might not have survived otherwise, especially as it had probably been carried offshore after roosting on a fishing vessel. The rescue also reflected a wider seamanship ethic. Offshore crews and lifeboat teams are expected to help vulnerable life at sea when they can. As Caister lifeboat’s chairman put it, rescuing animals as well as people is part of their work. In this case, the Army team’s decision turned a race yacht into an emergency refuge, and likely saved the owl’s life.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Aug 20

RSPCA East Winch Wildlife Centre said the barn owl has been rehydrated with fluids and already eaten a mouse after being brought ashore off Norfolk.
70 miles from land, the exhausted bird repeatedly tried to land on a British Army racing boat, fell into the sea several times and finally collapsed on deck, where soldiers boxed it up and kept it warm.
Caister Independent Lifeboat met the Army Offshore Racing Team at sea and transferred the owl—nicknamed Little Reg—to land after conservation staff coordinated the unusual rescue.
Wildlife rescuers said barn owls should not be that far offshore and suspect it may have roosted on a fishing vessel; with only ration packs on board, the bird might not have survived much longer at sea.