A calandar grid of 31 owls, one for each day of 'Owl toe burr' 2025, with the message "Happy Owl-o-ween from Owls in Towels dot org"
Calendar round-up of the 31 days of #Owltober 🕸️👻🦉 Happy #Owloween!
Higher res available at owlsintowels.org/owltober-2025/
A Ruru Owl is thoroughly bedraggled, wrapped in a blue towel after a bath. His cat-like eyes are fixed on the camera, wide and yellow. Feathers around the chest are matted and parted to expose skin that looks like, well... uncooked chicken breast. Green plastic boxes appear on a concrete slab behind.
A full body shot of the wet owl, sans towel. His Sid Vicious plumage is blackened by the wetness, and some barbs are stuck to the the feather shafts, creating gaps in the wings that look like see-through ribs. The photo really is something: imagine a yellow-eyed Koosh ball on a swivel, sticking out from a tarred turkey carcass. A truly bizarre and sorry-looking creature, but if it's any assurance the owl is fine. His legs are bowed with tan-feathered toes splayed out below. He stands upon a white net inside a green plastic box, with wooden perches around the edge.
Another angle of this Cronenbergian horror with Disney eyes. This one's taken a little closer, and the owl's leg stance is sturdier. If you ignore the whole looking-like-a-drowned-abomination aspect, he's far more photogenic and you know what? Kinda badass. Like a character-select screen in an RPG. What's interesting is we don't often see the definition of an owl's neck (the head feathers typically merge into the shoulder like a lumpy snowman), but here with everything matted and shaped to the owl's bone structure he appears almost humanoid.
How can this possibly be the same owl? Feathers now dry, our Ruru friend has resumed his original puffy shape, like an inflatable butternut squash. His eyes are still wide, but rather than taking up 90% of his face, they're now (in terms of size) like finger holes in a bowling ball. His legs are held by a bare-handed rehabilitator. His chest feathers are an impressive medley of brushstrokes (the owl not the person) in white, tan and dark brown. The background is a garage interior, with ladder, workbench, and sheets of soft plastic strewn about before a wall of cardboard boxes and metal rolling door.
Happy #Owloween! It's the 31st of #Owltober and we've saved one of the best for last: A wet Ruru Owl at Wildbase Recovery after a bath for flaky skin. Pics pre- and post- blowdry are night and day. Want to donate? wildbaserecovery.co.nz/help-us/dona... Source: fb.com/389992264669... #owlsintowels 💛🦉
Barred Owl in the interior of a vehicle, wrapped in a slate blue towel. His head is tilted slightly to the left, and his deep black-brown eyes appear (whether objectively true or not) trusting of the photographer. His feathers are duotone: brown and a slightly different shade of brown. He's got an apple-shaped facial disc, and long whiskers surrounding a yellow beak the colour of hard-cheese.
30th of Owltober!
A car-hit Barred Owl was admitted to Acadiana Wildlife, and
soon had an owl buddy to recover with. "They are both about to get a baby to foster until they are ready to release." Want to donate? acadianawildlife.org/donate Source: fb.com/821622216676... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Pygmy Owl with brown and cream feathers is wrapped in a white towel, held by a pair of blue gloves the way someone might hold a mug of coffee on a winter's day. The owl's expression is comical, in part thanks to: a) the way the owl's head recoils within the towel, looking down his beak at the camera; b) an open mouth that says "I am surprised"; and c) feather markings around the face that look like raised eyebrows. The background is out of focus and indistinct—dark blue with some bokeh shapes. From the original post we can see it is the torso of the rehabber with a clip-on walkie-talkie, blue undershirt, and white text displaying name and title.
A more dignified photo of our friend, eyes yellow and dilated. He has large 'nares' (the bird equivalent of nostrils), which look like a second pair of eyes. The owl is spotted all over, light cream on brown plumage. A second rehabber stands in the background, out of focus in a maroon shirt.
A mid-shot of the Pygmy Owl in profile, perched on the towel with legs secured by the first rehabilitator. Medical items and a computer display are to the back. There's a slight rip in the thumb of the blue glove, and while we can only guess what caused this, it is noteworthy the puncture is within pecking distance of the owl. From this side angle we see the owl's top beak is curved downwards, and overhangs the lower in a sharp hook. The owl has a stretched oval shaped body, like a feathery gherkin with a tail. The white towel, as it turns out (literally), is printed on one side in a patchwork of black text with various thicknesses and styles. Being bottom-side up however, most of it obscured save the folded-over edge where `SING` and `JOY` are legible words. `FRIEND`, and `IMAGINE` or `IMAGINATION` are other contenders.
29th of Owltober!
A Pygmy Owl had a close call with a car window. Although "a bit dazed from his wild ride" he soon got the all-clear from the Dove Lewis team in Portland, Oregon. Want to donate to Dove Lewis? dovelewis.org/donors Source: fb.com/121067755062... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
A Tawny Owlet is wrapped in a dark blue towel. He looks like a little extra-terrestrial 👽 with ghostly grey-white feathers typical of owl chicks, and a pair of black marbles peering out from a kiwifruit-shaped head. Some feathers are a little matted and stuck together following a bath (hence the towel).
Another view of the Tawny Owlet, no longer wrapped but rather perched atop a towel, this time plain white. He looks like a squashed snowman here: a kiwifruit-shaped head on top of a slightly larger kiwifruit-shaped body, with a spread of talons poking out from beneath the fluff.
Two Tawnies side-by-side atop a pale pink-purple towel. T1 is prostrate, beak to the floor and eyes barely open. T2 is more alert, showing two wide-open black eyes that look like they've been tacked on to a rugby ball of fluff. He looks like a child's imagining of an owl.
A Tawny Owlet came to Suffolk Owl Sanctuary starving but after a bath and careful feeding he began to improve and gain weight. He also had another clutch mate to recover with.
Want to donate? owl-help.org.uk/onwards-upwa... Source: owl-help.org.uk/blog/2020/6/... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a pale lichen-green towel in the arms of a rehabilitator. One ear tuft is free, the other concealed by the towel around the head, worn like a shawl. Showl? He is kept stable top and bottom with thick mustard-yellow gloves. His eyes are fixed on the camera with intense yellow eyes that say "Choose your next action wisely human. Invoke my wrath and it will be your last". A mop handle stands in the background before wall panels of stainless steel.
The owl immediately after release flies low to the ground with wings outstretched above a paved surface. The camera looks down at 45 degrees from above, so we catch a full "plan" view of the owl's back and wings as he flies toward a grassy area beyond. Go well friend.
27th of Owltober!
A Great Horned Owl was tangled in netting, so Jackson County Animal Shelter cut his talons free. He was returned to where he was found, pictured taking flight. Want to donate? jacksoncountyanimalshelter.org Source: fb.com/122187961652... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
A Short Eared Owl is in a tight burrito made from a plain white towel, held by a rehabilitator with blue medical gloves. Clinical equipment is laid out in the background, including scales and a feeding syringe. The owl's yellow eyes and black beak poke out above the edge of the wrap to face the camera. His features are compressed a little by the wrap, giving the outline of his head of a Goomba-like shape. His dark brown plumage looks like thick hair rather than feathers and it's reasonable to say he could be mistaken for Chewbacca the Wookiee, which raises a lot of portmanteau potential. Chewbagoomba? Goombacca? Woombie?
26th of Owltober!
A Pueo or Hawaiian Short-Eared Owl is wrapped up in a towel for his morning treatment at Hawai‘i Wildlife Center. Want to donate? www.hawaiiwildlifecenter.org/donate.html Source: fb.com/118718517011... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
This Boobook looks like the very concept of anger manifested in the form of an owl. The blond feathers on his brow are highlighted (in contrast to the rest of his dark brown plumage) and curved up in a broad U shape, giving us the impression of raw unmitigated rage. More light feathers above the brow look a little like wrinkles, as if the owl were straining to hold such a furrowed look. Then again, these are only feathers; he could be very relaxed for all we know. He has grey-green eyes, heavily diluted. He's barely wrapped, but rather loosely nestled in the folds of plain white towel. A fleece-like fabric appears behind in pink and green.
25th of Owltober!
Boobook sightings were up due to mild weather and no. of rodents about. A stern warning from Perth Wildlife Hospital: Don't use rodent poisons! They kill other animals & birds of prey.
Want to donate? www.pwh.org.au/donate/ Source: fb.com/315245079812... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Saw-whet Owl is contained in a lavender pillowcase or pouch during a banding operation to help efforts monitoring the migration of the species. The owl faces the camera with a pair of curious yellow eyes. A thumb is wrapped over top of the fabric. A paper document with red backing sits on a desk behind.
24th of Owltober!
Ozark Bird Conservancy is banding and monitoring Saw-Whet Owls so they can study the migrations and "habits of these cryptic and poorly understood birds" Want to donate? ozarkbirdconservancy.org/donate/ Source: instagram.com/p/DDGwoq2O8ti/ #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
Close-up of a Great Horned Owl hooded and wrapped by a white-pink towel. The hood sags in the middle, forming a rounded letter 'Y', or bunny-ear shaped tunnel in which the owl is ensconced. The owl's mouth is open and yellow eyes are wide, reflecting ceiling lights. The rehabber wears dark emerald green scrubs, one arm bearing a tattooed sleeve, the other holding the owl's legs below and out of frame.
23rd of Owltober!
Surgery in Saratoga. A Great Horned Owl became entangled in a soccer net, requiring multiple operations on his foot and leg during care at Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA. Want to donate? phs-spca.org/donate Source: phs-spca.org/great-horned... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween 💛🦉
A Ruru Morepork is wrapped in a marshmallow-pink towel, held to the chest of a rehabilitator. The owl's eyes are wide and amber, and the silhouette of the photographer is reflected in the owl's black pupils. The rehabber wears a navy blue fleece with zipper teeth that coincidentally match the towel. A black computer keyboard sits on a desk top right.
22nd of Owltober!
A Ruru Morepork in a marshmell-owl pink towel was treated by Bird Rescue Whanganui Manawatu. The owl was found under a car at Rotokawau Virginia Lake, New Zealand 🇳🇿🥝
Want to donate? birdrescue.co.nz/donate/ Source: fb.com/831810205641... #owlsintowels #owltober #owloween💛🦉
A Great Horned Owl is wrapped in a watermelon-pink towel, held between the forearm and chest of a rehabilitator wearing dark blue scrubs and light blue gloves. The owl has seen better days, missing one of his 'horn' tufts and some other head feathers, looking rather scrappy overall. His eyes are yellow tinged with green. His head is both turned and leaning slightly, oddly reminiscent of a portrait of Captain James Cook. His feathers are the shade of toasted granola with accents of cream and dark brown.
21st of Owltober!
NYC Park rangers rescued a young Great Horned Owl. He was treated at Wild Bird Fund for suspected rodenticide poisoning, and sent to The Raptor Trust for longer term care.
Want to donate to WBF? wildbirdfund.org/how-to-help Source: fb.com/862520519253... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
The long ears on this Long-Eared Owl are curled back, appearing a little bit like bells on an old-timey alarm clock. His feathers are brown white and creamy caramel. Talons from one foot are in bottom frame, clenched and criss-crossed. A vanilla towel with raised white patterning is what cloaks him, supported by a hand in a white medical glove. The owl's eyes are wide and slightly diverge, manifesting in a thousand-mile stare - beautiful bright yellow rings with a grid of skylights reflected in the black pupils within.
20th of Owltober!
Long-Eared Owl treated for eye injuries. He recovered vision but missed his migration, so overwintered at AIWC 🇨🇦 to be released in spring. Want to donate to Alberta Inst. of Wildlife Conservation? aiwc.ca/support-us/ Source: Newsletter Vol. 24 | Issue 1 #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Snowy Owl is enveloped by a plain, light taupe towel from above, and a pair of thick yellow gloves from below. Her eyes are a perfect match to the gloves, and square to the camera. She has thin black bars across her chest and top of head, being the exception to her otherwise snowy plumage. Her rictal bristles are white and pronounced in the shape of a wide triangle (like a coat hanger without a hook), the peak of which starting at the centre of her eyes and hanging halfway down her black beak. It's comparable to a human growing a moustache above their nose and a little strange if you ask me, but that's how nature goes sometimes. Fun fact: there is currently no emoji or Unicode character for a coat hanger.
18th of Owltober!
A Snowy Owl had a bad case of rodenticide poisoning (low blood count and a small wound not clotting). DuPage Wildlife aided her recovery with Vitamin K treatment and expert care. Want to donate? dupageforest.org/friends Source: fb.com/303982608437... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A very close-up portrait of a Great Horned Owl wrapped in a white towel. His feathers are wet, plastered together across his chest and radiating outward from his head in little spiky clumps. The wet feathers emphasise - rather cartoonishly - the true size of his yellow eyes. It's actually astounding how much volume these eyes take up in that little skull of his.
Pairs of hands from the wildlife rehabilitators appear bottom of frame holding and actively washing the owl in a basin. The owl is hunched over, sopping wet, with his feathers clumped and dripping giving a soapy shine to the patterns of his brown and black plumage. A large yellow eye is visible, and he's looking almost sullen or subdued from the process. He has no chin, just a beak and a few straggly wet feathers beneath. A dry brown towel is draped in the background.
A full-body shot shows the wet owl upright in a basin, held by a rehabber with a lizard tattoo on their forearm. The owl's legs and feet are protected by layers of blue tape or plaster. His wings and tail feathers are matted with water. His plumicorns too are soaked, drooping to each side of his head. His body is in profile view, while his head is rotated front-on as he looks at the camera. He looks reasonably calm here, all considered. The next photo, not so much.
The owl is being held in a white towel, with only his head exposed. His feet, wrapped in blue material, poke outwards to the left of the towel. His large yellow eyes are wide open, partially obscured by his angry brow. His plumicorn/ear tufts are now upright and prominent, accentuating an intense expression as he looks directly at the camera. He looks one hundred percent ready to murder someone.
17th of Owltober!
Ever seen a wet owl? Very unfortunate how this Great Horned got into this situation (he was submerged in petroleum), but the pics from Wild Heart Ranch are too good not to share 🧼🛁
Want to donate? 4thewild.org/how-to-help/ Source: fb.com/106306376251... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Barn Owl is wrapped in a plain white towel. His feathers are white, except for a blond-to-brown band in a heart shape surrounding his facial disk; mottled woody camouflage across the top of his head, and some speckles of grey and brown on his chest. Talons emerge from bottom of frame, outstretched with bumpy brown grip on the underside of his feet. A human thumb also appears, presumably belonging to the person behind wearing a dark grey top. Various enclosures appear in the background, and lights are reflected in the owl's black eyes, suggesting an indoor setting. The owl looks calm, but it probably isn't. Have you heard these things? Sheesh.
16th of Owltober!
A Barn Owl was chased by crows and flew into a library window in Melbourne, AU. The Wildlife Rescuers took him in and he recovered well, happily eating mice before release 🐁
Want to donate? wildliferescuers.org.au/donate/ Source: fb.com/665190185636... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
Close up of a Burrowing Owl wrapped in a pale pink towel with a folded edge at the collar. The owl wears it like a cloak, but back to front. He/she has yellow eyes, a pale olive beak, and tabby cat patterning of grey, brown, black and white feathers. There's brown spots along the forehead and thin black bristles under the beak, which look like hairs but are really a type of feather. Then again, it's all keratin proteins at the micro level. However you define it, having a few wayward chin hairs is pretty relatable.
The owl in the flight enclosure, on the ground. He/she looks up at the camera, wings outstretched and pupils wide. Sans towel we can now see the rest of his/her plumage: cream spots on brown feathers.
15th of Owltober!
After weeks of care for barbed-wire injuries, this Burrowing Owl healed well at Ojai Raptor Center. He/she moved to a flight aviary and was set to be released soon after.
Want to donate to OJR? ojairaptorcenter.org/donate Source: fb.com/339616491049... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Great Horned Owlet in care at Tri-State Bird Rescue. With sandy blond feathers and a sandy blond towel, it's hard to tell where the owl starts and the towel ends. The rehabilitator behind holds the owl by the legs and wears a uniform bearing a white logo on a field of dark maroon. The owl's feet are bunched up like fists. Above his pale green eyes are some dark brow feathers, which are flat and neutral, giving him an almost relaxed appearance. The brow ridge may become more angular and develop into a grumpier-looking expression. Give it time.
14th of Owltober!
Look hoo's here, a Great Horned Owlet being rehabilitated at Tri-State Bird Rescue and Research Inc.
Want to donate? tristatebird.org/donate/ Source: fb.com/215147874487... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Spotted Eagle Owlet is contained in a plain blue towel. The owl has yellow eyes, a black beak, and brown to black plumage, with cream highlights mottled throughout. There's a fuzziness to her feathers, a product of her youth. The bridge above her beak is accented with light feathers looking like a pair of inverted parentheses ")(". No human is visible - this is pure owl-in-a-towel material.
13th of Owltober!
A Spotted Eagle-Owlet was moving less than expected for a fledgling. Exams at African Raptor Centre 🇿🇦 showed no fractures, and they were optimistic about his recovery.
Want to donate to ARC? africanraptor.co.za/donations Source: fb.com/947569327410... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A red Eastern Screech Owl is cradled in a light blue towel. A thick-gloved thumb of a rehabilitator appears bottom left, and to the back is the brightly lit interior of the Avian Medical Clinic. The owl's eyes are closed, and her fiery red-orange plumage (with streaks of white, dark-brown and black) contrasts against the blue of the towel, like a movie poster for Stardust (2007). Her plumicorn tufts are upright like a tall pair of fox ears 🦊 that together with her beak make a long V shape.
12th of Owltober!
An Eastern Screech Owl with red or rufous polymorphism was treated for vehicle collision injuries, and later released after rehabilitation at The Center for Birds of Prey.
Want to donate? thecenterforbirdsofprey.org/donate Source: fb.com/101589985521... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
Close-up of an exceptionally photogenic Great Horned Owl wrapped in a light grey towel. The person behind wears a black top with white polka dots, and braces the bundle fully with their arms. The owl has flattened plumicorns, a rounded brow, mottled brown and white feathers, and a pair of large intensely-yellow eyes that stare into the soul of the camera.
11th of Owltober!
An adult Great Horned Owl with an injured wing was caught (after killing two chickens!) at a ranch near ABQ, New Mexico. Was taken to Tijeras for a vet exam then Hawks Aloft for rehab.
Want to donate? hawksaloft.org/donate Source: fb.com/125498107666... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
10th of Owltober!
In a behind-the-scenes video, ranger Alicia at Gumbuya Wildlife Park introduces us to Duncan, an Australian Masked Owl, and wraps him (in a towel) in preparation for his monthly weight check gumbuya.com.au Source: fb.com/gumbuyaworld... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A tiny Saw-whet Owl is cradled upright in a blue towel. Three hands - each wearing the same type of purple nitrile glove - surround the patient and through the power of deductive reasoning we can say at least two people are present. One hand lightly pinches the owl's legs between their fingers, with long pointy talons emerging from the owl's fuzzy toes like fangs. Fangs of the feet. A stethoscope with a bright-red handle is applied to the owl's chest, looked upon by the owl with cross-eyed astonishment.
9th of Owltober!
Found on a busy road, this tiny Saw-whet Owl was scooped up for treatment at JLS Wildlife Hospital at Cornell's College of Vet Medicine. Want to donate to Janet L. Swanson Wildlife Hospital? vet.cornell.edu/giving/ways-... Source: fb.com/279923781863... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉🥝
Olaf the Northern Saw-Whet Owl is wrapped in baby blue cloth that's styled like a head scarf. According to the uploader Paige Bucalo this makes him look like a babushka. His golden-yellow eyes are piercing, pupils wide, and feathers fluffy. What a cutie.
6th of Owltober!
Olaf was missing some feathers that affected his ability to fly well enough to catch prey in the wild so became an ambassador at World Bird Sanctuary. Want to donate to WBS? worldbirdsanctuary.org/ways-to-give/ Source: fb.com/120623111273... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
A Screech Owl is wrapped in a towel like a burrito; head popping out from the top, and beak hooked over the edge. The owl's eyes are a pale olive-yellow, and plumicorn feathers point out like a cat's ears at 45 degrees. Perfect triangles. Elsewhere, a gloved hand holds the mauve-taupe wrap from below, and a cartographic map of the globe appears out-of-focus on the wall behind.
5th of Owltober!
Posted by North Texas Wildlife Center with various captions:
"Tex Mex"
"Forbidden burrito. Spicy burrito."
"Burritowls are a fairly common species around here."
Want to donate to NTWC? www.ntxwildlife.org/donate Source: fb.com/942812641283... #owlsintowels #owltober 💛🦉
