PHOENIX — Thanks to a concerned citizen, four young great horned owl nestlings now are safe at a local wildlife rehabilitation center after the mother was illegally shot and had to be euthanized.

In early March, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief program received a call from a Tolleson resident reporting that a neighbor had shot a nesting owl out of a tree in their yard.

Liberty Wildlife, a Scottsdale-based wildlife rehabilitation center, took the injured female in hopes of rehabilitating her, but x-rays indicated that the bird’s wing fracture was too severe. The bird was humanely euthanized.

Several days later, Game and Fish biologists climbed the tree to access the nest and remove the young when it was determined that the male parent would be unable to raise four young on his own. The department also was concerned the homeowner might harm the remaining owls since the family believed they were evil and was afraid of the birds.

“If the concerned citizen hadn’t notified our Operation Game Thief program about the shooting of the female owl, we may never have known and the four young would have likely not survived. The male parent was attempting to care for the young, but each nestling can eat up to 15 mice a day so it was a lot for him to keep up with,” said Arizona Game and Fish Officer Lainie Antolik. “Since owls are a protected species, the person was cited for taking wildlife without a license and taking wildlife during a closed season.”

The nestlings were placed with a foster female great horned owl at Liberty Wildlife to raise the young as naturally as possible. The four young will be released back into the wild once they are able to fly and hunt on their own.

As a misdemeanor offense, the homeowner could face penalties from the local justice court. In addition, the homeowner may face civil penalties from the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, and the department will seek restitution for caring for the owlets.

Operation Game Thief is a silent witness, anti-poaching program that encourages the public to report any suspicious activity or knowledge about a poaching violation. The toll-free hotline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to report wildlife violations. Reporting parties may be eligible for a monetary reward.

Poaching is the illegal take of game or fish, trespassing, littering, theft, or destroying property.