How do I contact you if I have found an injured or orphaned owl?

If you have found an injured, sick, trapped or orphaned owl or other bird of prey (a raptor such as a hawk, eagle or falcon) in southern Ontario, you may call us at 905-562-5986. Leave a voice message if there is no answer. Animal care staff are on site daily but often not at the phone. Read our Rescue Information for tips on what to do if you have found an injured or orphaned owl.

The Owl Foundation is in the Niagara region of southern Ontario. Other rehabilitation centres may be closer to you. To find other wildlife rehabilitators in Ontario, go to Ontario Wildlife Rescue's directory of rehabilitators. For wildlife rehabilitators in other parts of Canada, go to Nature Canada's list.

Can I visit your facility?

Only by invitation. We are closed to the general public.

The Owl Foundation is a wildlife rehabilitation centre. A rehabilitation licence restricts public viewing of the animals being rehabilitated. We allow donors to visit during our annual donor tours, but all the birds here, including the permanent residents that may be seen on tours, are wild birds, and are stressed when people are looking at them. We don't train birds to be handled or to be on display.

Donors who donate $50.00 or more are eligible to request an invitation to the next annual donor tour for a specific date and time. Donor tours occur in September. Donors may call us at 905-562-5986 on business days between 10 am and 3 pm to speak to our business administrator and choose the tour date and time they want from among the available tour dates/times that we have scheduled.


Why haven't I received my tour invitation?

Did you donate since last September? Did you call us to obtain an invitation? We no longer issue invitations automatically to donors. We ask donors to call us to choose which of the available tour dates/times they would like.


Can I sponsor an owl as a gift?

Yes. Simply print and fill out the donor form and in addition to your information, enter your friend's name, address and phone number in the spaces provided. We will send them their unique Photo Certificate and you your tax deductible receipt. Alternatively, you can print the donor form and let them choose personally what they want before sending us your information (we can also send the sponsorship 'card' form directly to you or your friend. This is a more attractive format when giving the sponsor form itself as the gift - just email us with the address you wish the form sent to).


What does my donation go towards?

Your donation is pooled with other donations to cover the many expenses involved in caring for the owls. These expenses include staff wages, repairs and maintenance of cages and buildings, food for the owls, supplies of many kinds, veterinary services and other professional fees, equipment purchases, utility bills, property taxes, etc.


Where do you release the owls?

An owl of a non-migratory species is released in suitable habitat in the area where it was found. An owl of a migratory species is released in suitable habitat in an area where that species is present at the time of release.


Do you band owls before release?

Yes. Each bird is banded with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife band.


Where do your owls come from?

We receive injured and orphaned owls directly from people who find them, or indirectly from other wildlife rehabilitators or humane societies or veterinarians to whom people have taken owls.


What do the owls eat?

The diet of owls at the Foundation consists mainly of mice, rats and quail purchased from commercial suppliers.


Can I buy an owl?

In Ontario, buying and selling native owl species is restricted to people holding falconry licences. Also a permit is required for possession of dead native owls, such as for taxidermy. Ontario does not yet regulate trade in non-native owls or non-native animals in general, so exotic animals can be bought and sold without permits.


Do you accept volunteers?

If you are interested in being a volunteer driver - somebody willing to pick up owls in distress from your area and transport them to local veterinarians, rehabilitators or to us via a "relay" of volunteer drivers - we would love to have your name on file for future owl emergencies. If this is something you feel you may have time for, please drop us a line through email. You are also welcome to send your name, address and "willing to do" list to be kept on file.