Injured owl on the mend after being rescued in Westmeath

An owl that was found with a head injury in Westmeath last night (Wednesday) is recovering after being rescued with the help of a member of the public and the Gardai.

The visually-striking Long Eared Owl was discovered near the post office in Mullingar at around 10pm last night.

Not knowing where else to bring it, the member of the public who found the injured bird took it to Mullingar Garda Station.

Staff at the station got in touch with Kildare Wildlife Rescue, and arrangements were then made for the owl to be brought to Minight Vets, an emergency veterinary clinic in Kildare, for treatment.

"It was very good of the Gardai in Mullingar to take the owl in," Dan Donoher, the manager of Kildare Wildlife Rescue, told the Westmeath Independent.

"It was brought to the vets where it was examined and treated for a head injury."

Mr Donoher said it was likely the injury suffered by the owl had resulted from it colliding with a window or a building while flying.

"It had concussion, and an injury to its face, but no other fractures or anything like that, thankfully," he said.

"All of our wildlife, unfortunately, is getting rarer due to loss of habitat, so it's important that we do get him back out into the wild so that he can breed, and help with that. We are going through a biodiversity crisis, so every animal that we can get back out to breed is important."

The owl is currently being cared for at the Kildare Wildlife Rescue centre, where it will remain for the next ten days or so before being taken back to be released again in Westmeath.

"We always release our adult animals back to where they were found, so that would be the plan," said Mr Donoher.