Baby owl rescued from New Jersey porch

April 15 (UPI) -- Animal control officers in New Jersey said an unusual call for an "owl on the porch" led to the rescue of an apparently abandoned great horned owl baby.

The Bordenton Township Police Department said animal control officers were called to a Clifton Mill home where residents reported an "owl on the porch."

The officers identified the baby as a great horned owl and searched the area, but were unable to locate the avian's mother. The baby was placed in a makeshift nest in a nearby tree and officers monitored it during the weekend to see if its parents returned.

The owl was taken to Mercer County Wildlife Center in Monday morning when its mother failed to return during the weekend.

Officials said the owl will be cared for and released into the wild when it is old enough to survive on its own.