Rehab owl adjusting to life at the zoo

Cathi Wright with "Luna" (formerly "Sweetie Pie"). photo by Jim Cornelius "Sweetie Pie," the great horned owl rehabilitated by Gary Landers of Sisters and donated to the Oregon Zoo, is doing well in her new surroundings.

The owl is out of quarantine and is gradually growing accustomed to living with the other birds featured in the zoo's educational exhibits. Handlers are working with the owl to prepare her to become an "education bird," replacing the beloved "Hooter," another great horned owl who died of a heart attack last spring.

According to zoo bird specialist Cathi Wright, who picked the bird up from Landers' rehabilitation facility on June 25, "Sweetie Pie" is now known as "Luna."

The owl was feeding on road kill on Century Drive last winter when a passing car struck the bird, breaking its wing, tearing the iris of the right eye and giving the owl a concussion.

Picked up by Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel, the bird found a temporary home at the only facility licensed to rehabilitate birds of prey in Central Oregon -- Gary Landers' facility in Sisters.

Landers' goal with the birds he rehabilitates is to return them to the wild. However, "Sweetie Pie" (Luna) couldn't make it in the wild, because she had lost her aggressiveness; she was unwilling to go after live prey.

Her docile demeanor, however, makes her a perfect candidate for the birds of prey education program at the zoo.

"Luna" will step into her role as an educator first by visiting classrooms before being incorporated into the zoo's birds of prey shows.