The Lost Owl

​Hello everyone!

Customers often ask me, "Are there owls in Japan too?
Of course there are!
The most obvious ones are Ezo owls and Steller's sea eagles in Hokkaido.
I've been to Hokkaido several times to see them myself.
In Mt. Takao, there are owls and blue owls, and you can see pictures of them on social media!
If you are a mountain climber or hiker, you may have seen the introduction of wild birds that live in the mountain at the visitor center.

But...
In fact, there are owls living in the middle of the city as well. !!!!

Last year, I was asked by the Harajuku Police Department about an owl they had protected.
That's this little guy!

It looks similar to the Muta, but its eyes are orange in color.
Body length is about 20 cm.

The type is "Sunda scops owl".
Since it did not have a foot ring, we were unable to identify its owner or breeder.
We immediately contacted the Center for the Protection of Birds and Animals, and after confirmation by the experts, we found out that it was a wild bird.
By law, we are not allowed to keep wild birds.
While we were waiting for the center to make a decision, we were told to maintain the bird's body temperature and feed it at a minimum because it was very weak.
The Sunda scops owl regained its strength and returned home safely from the roof of the Harajuku Police Station!
Congratulations!


So...
Where is the home of this Sunda scops owl⁇
According to the experts, it was most likely in Shinjuku Gyoen!
The story of a goshawk nesting in the forest of Meiji Shrine is well known, but a Sunda scops owl living in the Shinjuku Gyoen?
What a surprise!
When you go for a walk in Shinjuku Gyoen, it might be fun to imagine if there is a Sunda scops owl somewhere. It might be fun to imagine!

If more and more forests and greenery are created where owls can live in peace, we may be able to hear "hoo-hoo" in our backyard, just like the story of the overseas visitor!
Sunda scops owl