MEET THE ANIMALS
of McGough Nature Park
Franklin was found in an abandoned field with a severely injured wing. It is believed that he received this injury after being attacked by a large bird of prey, such as an eagle. As seen in the x-ray, steel rods have been set in place to help support the injured wing. This owl is no longer able to survive on his own in the wild, so he is kept here at McGough Nature Park to help teach the public about these beautiful birds. A poll was set up for the public to help name this owl. The name Franklin was chosen in honor of Franklin Arthur, a longtime volunteer at the nature park. The enclosure for the Great Horned Owls was sponsored by the Clearwater Audubon Society.
Samson came to us in June of 2013 after he was treated by veterinarians at Busch Gardens for an injury to his right wing. The wing had been damaged badly enough that it prevented him from being able to fly well enough to survive on his own in the wild. Samson now lives at our park and shares his enclosure with other permanently injured screech owls. It is not uncommon to see these owls huddled closely together - they are known to be one of the more social owl species.
Goliath is a full-sized adult owl that came to us after being found in the engine compartment of a car that had traveled from Clearwater to Palm Harbor. She suffered a permanent wing droop resulting from this incident. This break to the wing prevents her from being able to fly. The distribution of Eastern Screech-Owls can be seen in the map below. These owls feed on chicks, small mice, frogs, lizards, and insects. Weight of an Eastern Screech Owl ranges from 4.3-8.6 oz and the wingspan ranges from 19-24 in.