Minnesota Woman Rescues Snowy Owl from Car Grille After Saving Another Bird Just Hours Before

On Tuesday morning, Annabell Whelan woke up in a panic to check on her overnight guest—a snowy owl named Nowl, whom she had rescued from a car’s grille the previous day.

While out in Duluth, Minnesota, with her boyfriend’s family on Monday, she spotted the owl “just hanging out there, literally” after the car and bird had collided, as reported to The Associated Press. Even though help had already been called by the car’s owner, the necessary animal rescue organization had closed for the day, prompting Whelan to intervene, not for the first time that day.

Earlier that same day, Whelan had found an injured great gray owl lying on the ground in Two Harbors, Minnesota. She consulted with experts at Wildwoods, a wildlife rehabilitation center based in Duluth, who guided her on how to safely capture the bird.

“I definitely thought I was done with owls after the first one,” recalled Whelan, 22, who works as a guest experience manager at Lake Superior Zoo and graduated earlier this year with a degree in biology and environmental science.

“I could tell he was having difficulty with one of his eyes,” she shared. “I took my time, sat quietly with him, and tried to coax him into trusting me.”

Whelan carefully wrapped the great gray owl in a blanket, transferred him to a dog crate in her car, and delivered him to Wildwoods, where he was sent to the University of Minnesota’s Raptor Center in St. Paul alongside another animal.

However, the snowy owl discovered later that day was in a far more precarious situation, according to Whelan.

“There was clearly a lot more trauma,” she noted.

As Wildwoods had shut down for the night, Whelan wrapped Nowl in a blanket and safely crated her in a dark, quiet area of her home—keeping her and her cousin’s inquisitive pets away. She chose the name Nowl as a pun on “noel.”

“I tried to prepare myself for the possibility that I would wake up to find she hadn’t made it through the night,” Whelan recounted. However, she shed happy tears when she found Nowl moving and awake the following morning, and promptly took her to Wildwoods.

According to Wildwoods, Nowl “is quite beaten up” after their examination of the bird. “We applied a wing wrap, provided her with medication, and coordinated with The Raptor Center for her transport.”

The rescue organization urges people to slow down and remain vigilant while driving. They recommend calling for assistance if you encounter an injured animal, emphasizing that these creatures are often frightened and need to be moved quickly to a safe, quiet environment until professionals can provide care.

By Hannah Fingerhut