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Baby Horned Owl Rescued In McHenry County

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A baby Great Horned Owl that apparently fell out of its nest in McHenry County is now safe, thanks to a police officer in the village of Bull Valley.

The call to Bull Valley Police was from a homeowner who said a baby owl was in her driveway - and had been there for a couple of days.

When Police Cmdr. Jim Page went there, he saw the owl on the ground, huddled against a tree.

"And it's just a little white fuzzball, a little bigger than a grapefruit," Page said.

Officer Helps Rescue Baby Owl

He put it in a box and gave it to someone with the McHenry County Conservation District.

"It was just so glad to be warm because it had been out in the cold and in the snow that it just kind of got into her hands and sat there quietly," he said.

Page said he feels good about the rescue.

"A few months ago I was able to be involved in a lifesaving effort of a baby - a human baby. And everyone has kind of teased me because now I've got an owl baby under my belt," he said.

Great horned owl nestling
The nestling has now been placed in a basket, back in its tree, (Credit: Sara Denham, McHenry County Conservation District)

The nestling has now been placed in a basket, back in its tree, and the parents have returned to care for it.

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