Lynn Purdy: Rehabilitating Injured Owls

by Jeff Rusack, Reporter
February 13, 2013 10:02 PM


Owls, a wise creature, a bird that camouflages well and hunts at night. They often carry with them a sense of mystery, a mystery that fascinates Lynn Purdy of the Outdoor Campus in Sioux Falls.  

“They're always projected as more wise and strong and swift,” said Purdy.

While owls have always peaked Purdy's interest. She loves all types of birds and has since a young age. That's why now, after teaching children about them she rehabilitates certain birds at home. Including an Eastern Screech Owl that took a tumble out of a tree.

“She had been down there for about 2 days and the kids just wouldn't leave her alone,” recalled Purdy.

So, she took the Owl in. Hoping that one-day it could be re-introduced to the wild. But, the animal showed little interest in hunting. Now, Lynn Purdy keeps the bird for educational purposes.    

“It's a tool at The Outdoor Campus,” said Purdy while teaching middle school students about owls.   

Lynn Purdy knows soon, there will be more owls and birds that need her help.

“You wait until spring though. They're going to be falling from the sky. I mean literally,” said Purdy.

And after enough time she'll do what makes all the hard work of rehabilitating owls back to health worth it.
 
“It's just the most amazing thing to just watch it rise back up into the sky again and know that it's where it should be,” said Purdy.

But, getting a bird ready for flight is no easy task.

“Sometimes it takes a lot of cooperation and a lot of working together with people with different skills to get these birds up and flying again,” said Purdy.  

Purdy worked with a veterinarian who specialized in birds but recently had to stop because ironically enough, he's allergic to birds.  

But, when she does find another vet to work with, Lynn Purdy will continue to do what she loves.

Before you call Lynn Purdy or The Outdoor Campus about a baby bird on the ground, Purdy says 99% of the time it's probably just fine and it's parents are near by. She says only call Game Fish and Parks if the bird appears to be injured.