Snowy owl recovering after rescue from front grill of van

Dec. 13 (UPI) -- Wildlife rescuers in Saskatchewan, Canada, said a snowy owl is expected to make a full recovery after becoming lodged head-first in the front grill of a van.

The Salthaven West wildlife rehabilitation center said employees were called to the Regina area to rescue an owl that had flown into the path of an oncoming van.

Salthaven West said in a Facebook post that rescuers determined the owl had avoided breaking or fracturing any bones, but required treatment for a "serious concussion."

Megan Lawrence, director of rehabilitation for Salthaven West, said the owl is recovering, and rescuers hope to return the female bird to the wild soon.

"Head injuries can be a little bit unpredictable, so we're hoping that she recovers quickly," Lawrence told CBC News.

She said the owl is expected to make a full recovery, but the process "could be just a few days, or it could be a couple of months."

Lawrence said the group has been called out for seven snowy owls struck by vehicles this year, but the most recent bird is the first to survive.