Owls are among the most widespread bird species in the world, and among the most popular ones too. The popularity is partially thanks to Hedwig from Harry Potter, and partially, I believe, is because they’re so beautifully weird!
Wildlife artist Robert E Fuller is a major owl enthusiast. He doesn’t only find inspiration in these beautiful creatures, he also does his best to save them. His rescue owl Luna’s eggs recently failed to hatch, and he had her adopt two orphaned chicks. They captured the encounter with a hidden camera and it’s the most heartwarming thing you’ll see today.
Living in Thixendale, UK, Robert builds ideal habitats to encourage wildlife into his garden. At the same time, he uses hidden nest cams to study their behavior. In return, these magnificent birds provide him with information for his paintings, and he shares the best of his video research on YouTube.
Luna is a tawny owl Robert rescued in 2017. The poor thing had a pretty rough time lately: she lost her clutch last year and her eggs failed to hatch this year. But she did manage to become a mom when Robert found two orphaned chicks and placed them in Luna’s nest. He filmed the encounter, and Luna seemed so happy to see the younglings as if it was the moment she’d waited for her entire life. She immediately accepted them and “hugged” them to keep them warm and safe.
Interestingly enough, Luna herself was adopted and raised by other owls when Robert rescued her. She accepting the orphaned chicks “brings the story round full circle,” as Robert describes it, and I couldn’t agree more. Even though Luna’s eggs turned out to be duds, and these younglings had lost their mom, they now have each other and it’s a happy ending for everyone. I hope that Luna will raise her new babies to become big and strong like she is.
Make sure to check out Robert’s paintings on his website, and you can make a donation here to support his art, rescue efforts, and his channel.
[via Laughing Squid]
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