AUSTIN, Texas — Austin Wildife Rescue celebrated Mother’s Day in a very special way: by placing the surviving owlet of local icon Athena with experienced surrogate mom Eddison.
Athena, a great horned owl and the city’s owl ambassador, has become part of Austin’s modern history. She’s nested at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center every year for over a decade, only failing to successfully hatch owlets a couple of times. Unfortunately, this year was one of those times, as one of Athena’s owlets died on April 17 and the other was presumed dead the next day.
On April 19, Athena abandoned the nest, and the Wildflower Center discovered the second owlet alive. Austin Wildlife Rescue took the baby owl for rehabilitation, and it has since gained over 320 grams after coming in “cold and lethargic,” a Facebook post from the rescue said.
The rescue placed the owlet in the care of surrogate mom Eddison over the week, “just in time for Mother’s Day,” another Facebook post said. Eddison has raised more than 38 orphaned owls that were released back into the wild since her arrival at the rescue in 2021.
A seasoned pro with lots of love to give, the rescue said Eddison “immediately welcomed the owlet into her nest box, snuggling close and keeping a watchful eye on her new baby.” She’s also already very protective of the owlet, not wanting anyone to get near it.
In the comments of the Facebook post, owl fans who are following the baby’s story wished both Eddison and Athena a happy Mother’s Day.