Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar:
A horned owl with an injured, broken claw was found in a field in Palshi. An alert citizen CA Anand Mundada informed honorary wildlife warden Dr Kishor Pathak about this over the phone, who then treated the owl.
Due to the missing claw, the owl was unable to hunt, leading to starvation and weakness due to a lack of calcium. The owl is currently undergoing treatment. Horned owls are found in cities, villages, and forests. Their earthy brown colour allows them to blend seamlessly into hills and trees, making them hard to spot. They are called horned owls because their ear tufts resemble horns. They are locally called Shrungi Gubad.
Main Diet
They typically feed on small birds, bird chicks, mice, and reptiles. Mice are a primary source of food, and owls help control the mouse population, which would otherwise damage farmers' crops.