First, the minor miracle: if you’ll recall, since mid-January the long-shot barred owl has been patiently (more or less) on cage rest, waiting to see if that badly displaced wing fracture would heal. He was one of three birds to visit Smalley’s this week for x-rays, and while there’s still some healing to do, vet Peggy Hobby and I were both pleasantly surprised at his follow-up x-ray. A callus is forming nicely, and it looks as if the muscles succeeded in pulling the bones back pretty close together. There’s another fracture near the wrist that isn’t as healed and probably won’t heal as well, but given the results of the humerus fracture, Peggy and I agreed a few more weeks wouldn’t hurt. He may still not heal for flight, but it’s worth the extra time to see what happens. As Peggy said, “Isn’t the body amazing?!”
Below are the barred’s x-rays from January and from March 1.