Hope for Wildlife playing host to many injured owls

It's the season for owls at Hope for Wildlife, an animal rehabilitation centre in Seaforth.

"They're very intent on finding a food supply right about now because it's harder to find food in the winter,” said Hope Swinimer, the founder of Hope for Wildlife.

As a result, owls are taking risks — and paying for them. They're ending up at Hope for Wildlife as a result.

"Maybe they're not as careful of the vehicles going up and down the highway. They see a mouse run across the road, and that's their intent to get that meal," said Swinimer.

Owls flying into windows is another reason.

One of the owls currently housed at Hope for Wildlife is Quill, a great horned owl, who got the nickname with good reason. When he came in, he was starving and was injured because of a run-in with a porcupine.

Hope for Wildlife staff believe it was a full-on attack with both the talons and beak.

"By the looks of it, he landed right on it, all of his talons had quills in the base, all of his feet, the pads of his feet were full of quills, up his legs, he had them in his chest, in his face, he had a few in his eye, in his eyelid," said Katie Hauser.

The wildlife rehabilitation specialists aren't sure why Quill went after the porcupine. Usually, owls know to stay away from porcupines unless they are desperate.

The staff hopes to release the owls back into the wild soon.