Early one morning in White County, Oregon, firefighters with Jackson County Fire District 3 received a call that sounded unusual.
A passerby had noticed what looked like a brown object dangling from the side of a barn — but on closer look, it was actually a bird in distress.
The crew rushed to the scene and quickly spotted the animal, about 30 feet up, hanging upside down.
It turned out to be a barn owl who had accidentally wedged his foot into the wooden siding and couldn’t break free.
As the rescuers assessed the situation, they noticed another owl circling nearby — likely the trapped bird’s mate — frantically flying back and forth as if pleading for someone to help.
With assistance from the Eagle Point Police Department, firefighters carefully entered the barn, climbed up, and gently worked the owl’s foot loose.
Though the bird was understandably anxious at first, he soon seemed to recognize the rescuers were there to help.
Moments later, the owl spread his wings and soared into the sky, free at last. His worried mate followed close behind.
Dan Mahar, a firehouse engineer, captured the dramatic rescue from below, and the relief in the team was clear when the owl finally flew off unharmed.
The fire department is grateful for everyone who came together to help this gorgeous bird.
“Teamwork saves lives,” the fire department later shared on Facebook. “Feathered ones, too.”
