Baby Owls Take Flight at Sage Hill

A nest of four baby owls and their mother were discovered in the Sage Hill clock tower recently and Newport Beach Animal Control is asking anyone who sees the owls on campus to not disturb the birds.

Mother owls can be extremely protective of their young and Newport Beach Animal Control says it is best to avoid the birds and not approach them. 

According to Newport Beach Animal Control, the young owls are capable of leaving the nest but may not be able to return to the nest on their own. Typically, the mother owl will find her young and bring them food if they are not in the nest.

This week, an owl was found on the ground outside the lower level of the D. Diane Anderson Family Humanities Building. The owl escaped the nest and decided to rest on campus. The Sage Hill security team alerted Newport Beach Animal Control, who examined the baby owl for injuries and determined the owl was in great shape and gently returned the bird to its nest atop the clock tower.

However, the baby owls keep spreading their wings and leaving their nest. They have been seen in trees and other perches around campus, but they seem to the love the Johnson Family Library and the D. Diane Anderson Family Humanities Building.