Search Underway for Missing Great Horned Owl After Tropical Storm Debb

Brandon, Fla. — The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay is urgently searching for Charlie, a 4-year-old Great Horned Owl, who went missing on August 5 when Tropical Storm Debby struck the Tampa Bay area. The owl escaped his enclosure during the storm, and concerns are mounting over his safety and ability to survive in the wild.
Charlie, who has been with the center since he was six weeks old, is equipped with falconry gear including anklets and jesses. He is blind in one eye and lacks hunting skills, making his situation even more precarious. Despite intensive searches around the clock since his escape, searchers have been unable to relocate him.
On Tuesday morning, Charlie was sighted in the Providence Lakes subdivision in Brandon, but subsequent searches extending from dawn until past midnight yielded no further sightings. Efforts included the use of thermographic imaging, which only detected other barred owls. The rescue team is now concerned that Charlie may be weaker and potentially grounded.
The Raptor Center has appealed to the public for assistance. Anyone who spots Charlie is urged to contact Nancy at 813-205-1851 or Billy at 405-226-1583.
The Raptor Center of Tampa Bay, a non-profit dedicated to wildlife rehabilitation, rescues and treats around 1,000 birds and animals annually, aiming for their release back into the wild. They are currently working on building a new wildlife rehabilitation facility in East Hillsborough County.