Photos courtesy of Keri Lewis An Eastern screech owl was recently rescued from a chimney at a home on Orchard Street in Elkins. The owl, nicknamed ‘Jimmy the Squirrel,’ made a full recovery.

ELKINS — An Elkins resident believed the persistent noise coming from his chimney was the sound of a squirrel, but upon investigation, it was discovered to be a trapped owl.

Back in November, a resident on Orchard Street was enjoying a quiet evening at home when he heard sounds coming from his chimney. Thinking it was a squirrel trapped inside, the homeowner instead found a tiny, weakened bird — an Eastern screech owl.

Local raptor specialist Jo Santiago was called in to assist with the situation. She estimated that the owl had been in the chimney for a week or more, due to it being very weak and emaciated. It was evident that the owl has been without food for a long time as it weighed only 4.3 ounces. 

“When they called me they said the owl was really weak and they didn’t know if he was going to make it or not,” Santiago told The Inter-Mountain. “When I got him he was in pretty bad shape.”

Because the resident expected the owl to be a squirrel when he explored his chimney, it was decided that the bird would be nicknamed “Jimmy the Squirrel.” Santiago would come to find out that name fit the owl perfectly.

The bird was transferred to Dr. Jesse Fallon at the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia in Morgantown. After just one month, the owl had made a full recovery and was set to return home to Elkins. 

Santiago said the owl did not lack for energy when he returned home, referring to him as acting “squirrelly.” Not only did he try to fight with Santiago and “get the best of” her a couple times, but he also escaped while spending the night at her residence.

“When they brought him back it was already late in the day and I had to keep him at my house overnight,” Santiago said. “They had him in a little cat carry case and I fed him before I went to bed so he would be fed for his release the next morning. When I came down the next morning the first thing I saw was the door of the cat case wide open and ‘Jimmy the Squirrel’ was gone.

“He got loose in my house and it took me a long time to find him, because those little guys can hide in some very small spaces. I finally found him in my upstairs closet and he was perched on top of my snowshoes. He was really something else.”

After his capture from Santiago’s closet, “Jimmy the Squirrel” was transported to the Days Inn back parking lot on Harrison Avenue to be released into nature.

“There were some large Spruce trees at the back of the parking lot and he headed right for those trees,” Santiago said. “I’m sure he had been in those trees before, because they are right next to the house where he was found.”

If you find an injured raptor in need of help, please call the WVDNR Conservation Police or the Avian Conservation Center of Appalachia Hotline at 304-906-5438.