Tiny Dug proves a right hoot at owl sanctuary

a tiny baby owl has been posing for the cameras at a West Lothian owl sanctuary as the centre shows off one of its newest additions.

Dug, a four-week-old Burrowing owl, was born at the scottish owl Centre in Whitburn last month and has been finding his feet at the centre.

Lauren Walker, a keeper at the owl centre, said the baby bird has been a hoot to be around.

Lauren said:“He’s really laid back and he’s really happy. the only thing he doesn’t like is getting up in the morning and going to work, but he’s been interacting with the public and been really relaxed.”

the bird keeper explained that owls go through many stages when they are young and that Dug’s current one means that she is getting a lot of extra attention from the young owl.

Lauren said:“right now the faze is that he wants to practice his preening. they would normally do this in the nest with their parents but because he is being hand-reared he is practicing on me.”

Young Dug has been specially selected by the owl centre to make up part of their‘flying team’.

Lauren said:“He has a sibling in the aviary called Dugless who will be part of our breeding team but Dug will make up part of our flying team which will tell the public about the problems the Burrowing owl face and what we can do to help them.”

the Burrowing owl is native to north america and is a cousin of the Little owl found in Britain.

although listed as common studies have shown that the Burrowing owl has gone extinct in some area of america where it was once found.

Because Burrowing owls are diurnal, meaning they come out during the day, many studies have been done on the creatures and Lauren believes they are a remarkable species of owl.

Lauren said:“they are one of the most