Dickerson Park zookeeper releases 4 owls into the wild after weeks of rehab

Four owls flew back into after zookeepers at the Dickerson Park Zoo released them from treatment in Springfield.

The owls ended up in the Dickerson Park Zoo's Raptor Rehab after they were found on the ground as infants. Zookeeper Ana Frace raised the babies for the next four months. She also was careful not to tame their wild instincts so the owls would be ready to hunt mice and other small prey.

"It's actually normal for bards to be found at the bottom of trees because up in tree is their nest somewhere," said Frace. "They're just trying to figure out their life. They can go back up the tree if they want to. They're pretty good at climbing actually so it's normal for them to be on the ground. But I think most people assume there's a bird on the ground, something's wrong with it."

One owl had issues flying. That owl will remain at the zoo.