Owl rescued from Austin Water plant mud released into the wild

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An owl that was rescued from being stuck in the mud at an Austin Water facility is getting to spread its wings again.

Mud the owl fell on hard times in early August. According to Austin Water, the bird got stuck in the muck at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant.

The utility, along with Animal Control, helped rescue Mud together.

After a couple of months of rehabilitation, Austin Water reported the owl was released back into the wild in the Hornsby Bend area last week.

According to Houston Audubon, Great Horned Owls can be found in deciduous woods, swamps and city suburbs throughout the year. This species is the largest owl in Texas.

While found in Texas, Houston Audubon said the owls can be found almost anywhere across the United States, Canada and parts of Alaska.

Austin Water manages the Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory near Highway 71 in Del Valle. The program is part of environment research at the Hornsby Bend Biosolids Management Plant, according to the observatory's website.

The observatory sits on 1,200 acres and aims to study birds in Central Texas. The facility is open from dawn to dusk every day during the year.