Meet Muppet the great horned owl chick
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Muppet the great horned owl chick on a branch in Pittsburgh's Schenley Park. Photo: Courtesy of Vimal Bhalodia
Pittsburgh's newest celebrity is a great horned owl chick named Muppet who has fans hooting and hollering as she scrambles across a popular Pittsburgh park.
Why it matters: Great horned owls are common in Western Pennsylvania but rare to find in cities, said Tamarack Wildlife Center executive director Carol Holmgren. Muppet and her family have perched in highly visible locations in Schenley Park.
- Muppet joins the canon of famous Pittsburgh wild birds like Kodiak the runaway Steller's sea eagle and the bald eagles that nest at the U.S. Steel facility in West Mifflin.
Context: Muppet fell over 100 feet out of her nest on Feb. 27 and was taken to Tamarack Wildlife Center in Crawford County for rehabilitation.
- Holmgren said Muppet only had minor injuries, so she was returned to her nest area after a short stay at the center. Holmgren said the center believes Muppet is being fed by her parents.
🦉 Driving the news: Muppet was returned earlier this week near the nest under the Panther Hollow Bridge by wildlife officials. The female owl chick has been moving around the park with her parents close by, and Tamarack officials have been keeping a close eye on her, said Holmgren.
Zoom in: When Axios visited Muppet on Thursday evening, she was quietly perched on a hillside about 50 feet up from the Hollow Run Trail. A crowd had gathered and was giddy about spotting the owl.
What they're saying: Muppet is moving around and calling quite a bit, said Holmgren, and she was perched in a tree about 30 feet up as of Friday morning.
- "She is a precocious little gal," said Holmgren.
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Fun fact: Great horned owl chicks typically hatch in spring, but Muppet and her sibling hatched sometime in late January, said Holmgren.
🔠Pro tip: Bring binoculars or a small telescope to get the best view.
- A nest with Muppet's parents and a sibling rests on the eastern side of the Panther Hollow Bridge, near the center.
If you go: Stephen Bucklin, a naturalist educator for the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, encourages people to visit Schenley Park to spot the owls, but says people should avoid bringing pets with them and make sure to give the owls space.
- "It's important to observe the great horned owls from a distance and avoid getting too close, as doing so could put the nest in danger," he said. "Visitors should also remain as quiet as possible to avoid startling the great horned owls or disturbing the nest."