Pennsylvania Wildlife Rescue Receives Mysterious Box With ‘Deafening’ Surprises Inside

When a mysterious box arrived at the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center, wildlife rehabilitator Tracie Young almost couldn’t believe her ears when she first heard the noises coming from inside. The box was delivered by local Pennsylvania Fish and Boat officers to the wildlife rescue service in Washington Boro, Pennsylvania. "It was deafening," Tracie told The Dodo, adding that if she’d heard that in the woods, she would’ve gotten out of there.

Tracie described the noise as "something from a Stephen King movie." When she tentatively opened the box, Tracie found the source of the commotion. It was a pair of nervous barn owls, one of the most widespread of all species of birds. This species of owl is the most widely distributed in the world, living almost everywhere except for polar and desert regions.

A farmer in the area had found the two young barn owls nesting in one of his silos, according to Young. The birds were fledglings, days from leaving their nest, but unfortunately, they had to go. They were safely contained by local game officers, who brought them to the rehabilitation center for further care.

Prior to being fed dinner, the owls were examined and banded by wildlife volunteers. All the while, the lively birds were eager to be released as they screamed and screamed. Wildlife handlers, notwithstanding the ringing in their eardrums, were grateful for the opportunity to interact with the two barn owls.

"It was amazing to be able to handle them, Tracie Young told the Dodo, adding "and see how spicy they really are." She said it was a great experience for her and the volunteers.

These barn owls are surprisingly only the second pair the center has ever dealt with. Interestingly, the first pair of barn owls arrived just a few weeks earlier, making it a convenient twist. The new pair were safely re-nested with the other owl pair and all together as one family, they are slowly learning how to make it on their own. They’ll soon enough be back home to the wild., screaming into the darkness without a care in the world.