MARQUETTE, MI-- A rehabbed snowy owl named Faith will be released into the wild in Marquette on Saturday.
Resident Lynn Erickson found the owl on a road near Bark River on December 22. The bird was too weak to fly. She brought it to the Chocolay Raptor Center that night, and an exam showed it was nearly dead from dehydration and starvation.
Like many snowy owls admitted to the center, Faith was exhausted from her long migration from the Arctic. Center personnel put a feeding tube into Faith’s stomach and she started eating solid food within 24 hours. The owl has gained nearly 1,000 grams in weight since she arrived at the center.
Faith will be released Saturday at 3 p.m. in the fields to the east and north of the Superior Dome in Marquette. The public is welcome to watch.