We are heartbroken to announce the passing of Ash, the eastern screech owl. We were shocked by his passing and ultimately decided to have a necropsy performed to help us understand the cause of death, which was determined to be renal (kidney) failure. Ash has been an Ambassador Animal at Piedmont Wildlife Center since 2018, and he will be sorely missed.

Ash was a tiny owl with a big attitude and proved that if you want to give someone the “stink eye”, you really only need one. And according to Sam, our Office Administrator, he resembled a grizzly old sea captain when he was molting. Despite the injuries he sustained before arriving at PWC, he remained an active, charismatic bird throughout his time with us.

Ash touched so many lives as an Ambassador in our programs and provided once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to observe a rather reclusive owl species. We would love for you to share any memories or photos you have of Ash. If you’d like to make a contribution in Ash’s honor, you can donate to the Gail E. Abrams Wildlife Ambassador Fund.

Thank you all for making Ash’s life a special one.

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