The bird died on Monday evening at a bird sanctuary in Toivakka.
Despite attempts to care for it, a tawny owl that had been roosting in Muurame since early December has died. The species is a very rare visitor in southern Finland.
A starving and tired owl was captured on Sunday afternoon in Jyväskylä and delivered to a bird sanctuary in Toivakka.
The bird was examined by a veterinarian yesterday afternoon after 2 pm in Jyväskylä and tube feeding was attempted.
The veterinarian stated that the bird was above all starving. Until now, the causes of starvation have only been guessed.
Starvation probably started before the owl arrived in Muurame, because its condition declined so quickly. The bird died on Monday at eight o’clock in the evening.
– The bird’s condition just got worse yesterday afternoon, and there was nothing more that could be done for it. Its general condition was already very bad. The owl was starved and had parasites, that is probably the cause of death, Virtanen estimates.
The barn owl will be sent to the Food Agency for more detailed investigations.
– The bird is sent to Oulu. The age, gender, cause of death and general condition can be found there. In the Food Agency’s studies, these can be mapped quite precisely.
According to Virtanen, starving owls are usually seen every winter near human settlements, in urban areas and even in city centers.
– Yes, this usually indicates a problem with food intake, Virtanen reflects.