From Blackland Prairie Raptor Center
Nose Job? This Eastern Screech Owl came to our Rehab Center with some blood above its cere. The cere is a waxy fleshy covering above a bird’s beak just below the eyes, where the nostrils (nares) are located. The owl is patiently sitting while our staff cleans the cere.
They look so accepting of humans handling them.
It feels more like compliance. They will hiss and click and puff up, but as soon as they’re grabbed, they’re usually pretty calm once they see they’re not scaring you off.
Birds seem to really avoid fighting whenever possible. Losing the wrong feathers, breaking a bone, or getting a bad cut can all cost them their ability to fly, so if being menacing doesn’t work, escape is usually the next best option if they aren’t protecting their nest. If the opportunity isn’t there to get away, they just seem to freeze up like this.
They’re not enjoying it, but they seem to understand they aren’t being actively hurt, so it’s best to just wait it out.