Invercargill’s Gloria Harris dedicates 30 years to owl rescue

Gloria Harris with a little owl that was hit by a car. Photo / RNZ

By RNZ

Gloria Harris has been running a nohinohi (little owl) and ruru (morepork) rescue service for 30 years.

“I’ve probably cared for close to 300 birds,” Harris proudly told RNZ’s Country Life.

Recovering birds are homed in aviaries overlooking a flock of sheep on her 10ha farmlet near Invercargill.

When Country Life called in, she was about to catch and weigh a little owl that was found in the middle of the road after being hit by a car.

“I took him up to the vet as both eyes were swollen shut, and if you look at him now, you can see one pupil’s really huge.”

Wrapped carefully in a handkerchief, the bird was weighed on the kitchen scales and checked.

At 171g, it was a good size for a young adult, but it will be with Harris for a while yet.

Harris said it was still adjusting to not having binocular vision, making it difficult to catch prey or land.

“There’s a bit more green around the eye, so I’m hopeful that he may regain his sight.

“It’s just going to be a time thing.”

Her passion for rescuing owls began after she saw one sitting on a power pylon.

She was struck by how majestic it looked.

Harris told a friend who looked after the aviaries at Queens Park in Invercargill, who said chicks and injured owls were dropped off every now and then.

“I said I’d love to raise one, so she said I’ll send the next lot round to you; so she did and that’s where it all started.”

Releasing healthy owls back into the wild is Gloria's main objective. Photo / RNZ

The busiest time of the year is in early summer during the hatching season.

This is when people often come across owl nests while cleaning up woodpiles.

“They’re cavity dwellers – well, some put nests in trees, but a lot of them would just find a cavity and that’s where they have their chicks.”

More often than not, the chicks end up on Harris’ doorstep, and once they can master a test flight down her hallway, they go out to an aviary until they’re up to weight.

A close-up of the bird's damaged left eye. Photo / RNZ

“Then I pull down this soft release door, and when the owl’s ready to go, they’ll look at me; they’re a bit suspicious and then they fly away,” she said, showing Country Life around the aviary.

Harris said there were only three species of owls in Aotearoa New Zealand.

A ruru chick. Photo / RNZ

“Officially, there’s two classes of native owls.

“You’ve got the morepork (ruru) and the little owl (ruru nohinohi); we’ve also got barn owls and, apparently, there’s a bit of a flock of them up in Auckland now.”

A ruru (morepork) at Queenstown Kiwi Birdlife Park. Photo / RNZ

Most of the owls she cares for are little owls.

“I get the occasional morepork, they’re absolutely magnificent, but they’re quite feisty and these [little owls] are quieter to work with.”

Harris said it was a labour of love and when they’re well enough to leave, it could be a bit emotional.

“I always give them a little blessing before they fly away.”

- RNZ