‘Friendly’ New York Owl Is Missing… Have You Seen Her?

A New York State nature preserve is asking the public for help after one of their most beloved residents went missing.

Sweetbriar Nature Center, an organization dedicated to animal rehabilitation and environmental education, recently shared the news that their "friendly" barn owl, named Nebula, was not only lost, but potentially in serious danger.

Sweetbriar Nature Center's Owl Nebula Is Missing

In a recent Facebook post, SNC shared that Nebula was raised at the center, making hope for her survival in the wild quite low. While there are two easy ways to identify barn owls, a particular characteristic of the species might make locating Nebula rather difficult.

How to Identify a Barn Owl in New York State

The easiest ways to identify a barn owl is by its appearance and by its call. Barn owls have white, "heart-shaped" faces, with many owls (including Nebula) having brown spots on their white chests. Then, there's the way they sound. From the Cornell Lab:

American Barn Owls don’t hoot the way most owls do; instead, they make a long, harsh scream that lasts about 2 seconds. It’s made mostly by the male, who often calls repeatedly from the air. Females give the call infrequently.

Why It May Be Difficult to Find Missing Barn Owl

The difficulty in finding any barn owl, let alone Nebula, is due to two factors: their late-night lifestyle and quiet disposition. According to the New York Natural Heritage Program, barn owls "are difficult to locate because they rarely vocalize and are nocturnal", meaning that New Yorkers looking for Nebula will have to exercise all of their creativity as well as patience.

Read More: Screech Owl Found On NYS Route 28 Returned To The Wild

About Sweetbriar Nature Center

Sweetbriar Nature Center in located in Smithtown, NY on Long Island. Situated on a 54-acre nature preserve, the organization is involved with animal rehabilitation, environmental education, and maintaining the preserve, which is home to countless species of wild animals. They can be reached at  (631) 979-6344.

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While Nebula needs to be kept in captivity due to the way she was raised, wild animals of all species are generally set free once they are rehabilitated. Check out what happened when an owl got into trouble a little closer to the Hudson Valley below, and keep scrolling to see more non-traditional Hudson Valley animal rescues.