Library celebrates Owl Month
Vernon. Giselle Smisko of the Avian Wildlife Center presented owls to a group of visitors to the Dorothy Henry branch of the Sussex County Library.
| 18 Oct 2019 | 01:44
Avian expert Giselle Smisko of the Avian Wildlife Center reads the story Owl Moon to an interested group at the library. (
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Beau, the Great- Horned Owl observes the audience. (
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Owls are the best Halloween symbol.
People assume owls are creatures of the night and seem perfectly spooky. However, these masters of camouflage are both daytime and nocturnal animals.
Giselle Smisko, of the Avian Wildlife Center located in Wantage, visited the Dorothy Henry Library on October 15 where the interesting creatures were presented to a group in the library’s all-purpose room.
Smisko began the presentation by reading a children’s storybook titled "Owl Moon" about a dad and his son who go owling in the cold of winter.
“The Avian Center is a rehabilitation center and residence for wild birds who are sick, injured and with specific disabilities can not be released into the wild,” stated Smisko.
To the delight of the audience, Smisko presented three feathered visitors from the center, Cinnamon, a screech owl hit by a car and now with impaired vision. According to Smisko, the Screech Owl does indeed screech when hurt or frightened and nests in woodpecker holes and hollow tree branches.
Newt, the Barred Owl is a threatened species because of disappearing deep woods. This particular owl is disabled and is unable to fly.
Beau is a Great-Horned Owl raised by people then released. Sadly, Beau is unfit to survive in the wild and must reside at the center.
Both the birds and the people in the audience were extremely intrigued to meet each other.
Smisko shared a few owl facts with the group, one being that owl feathers are very soft allowing for silent flight. Also an owl family can control the mouse population by eating about 20 mice per night.