Chatham County Sheriff’s Deputy Wes Chafa received a strange call for assistance on the night of Sunday, February 18. Chafa was called out to save a great horned owl ensnared in the front grill and bumper of a vehicle. The driver had unwittingly collided with the bird along U.S. Highway 64.

Chafa, an avid outdoorsman, eventually freed the owl. A North Carolina Wildlife officer confirmed the bird was stressed but, somehow, unharmed. After holding the bird for about 30 minutes to calm it down, Chafa carried it uphill to a nearby wooden fence and placed it on a perch. It flew away a few minutes later.

Chatham County Sheriff’s Deputy Wes Chafa holding the great horned owl. (Image via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office)

“This was one of the most unusual calls I’ve answered,” said Chafa. “And one of the most memorable.”

Great horned owls are the largest species of owl in North Carolina, with some adults measuring above two feet tall. Their wingspans can reach as long as five feet.

 

Featured image via Chatham County Sheriff’s Office

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