Ayasha
Origin of his name:
Means "little one" in several Native American dialects. This name was suggested by Dr. Karen Higgs.
Species:
Megascops asio (Eastern Screech Owl)
Status as of November 1, 2015:
FYI, Ayasha wears permanent jesses, so you will only need a swivel and a leash when you go in to get him.
Rescue Story:
Admitted as an immature bird on May 28, 2006. Found on the ground being attacked by crows. Has vision impairment in left eye and probably has head trauma. (Head trauma NOT necessarily from attack.) It was determined he is blind in his left eye because the retina is detached. Otherwise he is healthy - he is fully flighted. He was thought to be female when he first came in... until he was put in an enclosure with Otis (thought to be male) and then Otis laid eggs!
All images on this page are also links to high resolution images good for printing.
Favorite Photos:
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I don't know who took this photo, but I really like it. Obviously (from the leash) this is from when Ayasha was still in triaining, so perhaps Kevin took it. |
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This lovely photo (and the one at the top of the page) was taken by Suzanne Wegener. She creates and shows her own artwork. She plans to use these photos of Ayasha (and others she took of Otis) for a series of works. |
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Here's a photo taken by Kim W. of Ayasha... Thank you Kim! |
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Here's another photo from Kim W. of Ayasha doing Thank you Kim!
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A nice profile shot of Ayasha. Thank you Kim W.! |
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Stephanie took this wonderful photo of Ayasha during his Fall 2011 molt. |
Favorite Stories:
From Anne Marie (Fall '09):
I think Ayasha and Merula are the best looking birds in the collection. His colors are just so striking. It would be a tough decision if I had to choose one. There's something about Ayasha's coloring. I love telling visitors about the gender mix-up with him and Otis - that always gets a giggle, if not a full laugh which helps visitors remember how it can be difficult (impossible) to know the genders of many birds of prey.
From Anne Marie (Spring '10):
Today (June 6, 2010) I went in to work Otis, and Ayasha put himself between me and the foster owl he and Otis are rearing. The foster was BIGGER than him, and still he protected him. He's a great poppa!