Think Wild has helped 30 injured great horned owls this year, the Bend nonprofit’s most common patient

(Update: Adding video, comments from Think Wild)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend nonprofit Think Wild reports a pattern in its wildlife patients, with dozens of the same types of birds needing care. The organization's mission is to care for and protect native wildlife. and the most common patient they see is the great horned owl.

So far this year, they have treated 30 great horned owls, and expect to see more this fall. 

"A lot of times they come in having been hit by cars or entangled in barbed wire fencing," Molly Honea, Think Wild's development and communications coordinator, said Friday.

The nature of their hunting strategy is to fly pretty low, and a lot of times juvenile owls that aren't as successful at hunting will fly pretty low and hang out in well-lit areas.

Last year, Think Wild cared for 50 great horned owls. The organization receives about 2,000 calls a year to their wildlife hotline.

Think Wild says in order for animals to be re-released back into the wild, they need to pass a prey test as well as a flight test.   

Honea said, "We do flight tests to make sure that they're fully flighted and we don't see deficits, make sure that they're able to capture live prey. As in our enclosures, we'll set up a kiddy pool with live mice and rats and animals, and then to make sure that they're able to capture prey in the wild."

Barbed wire is a danger to the owls. They can become entangled. The organization provides free barbed wire removal, as well as offering ways to make the barbed wire more visible. 

"Wildlife tape or little markers and flashing tags can really make a difference in animals being able to spot that barbed wire before they have a deadly entanglement," Honea said.

Think Wild serves animals and people across Central and Eastern Oregon, and some times out of state.