Fall from grace! Baby owl snapped clinging on for dear life as it flies nest for the first time

This is the moment a baby owl is left clinging on to a tree as it leaves the nest for the first time.

The Tawny Owlet was caught on camera ‘branching’ – the term for when young birds leave the nest before they can actually fly.

Despite desperately trying to get upright, hanging on by a talon, the owlet tumbled 30 feet to the ground but escaped unhurt and soon found its way back up into the tree.

Throughout the whole ordeal its mother stood above, apparently completely oblivious, even flying away as the chick hangs on for dear life.

The footage was captured by Kate MacRae, a wildlife consultant who has appeared on Springwatch, Autumnwatch and Countryfile, who said at this time of year many owlets found on the ground are taken to wildlife centres when they should be left where they are.

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Kate, 48, said: “The box is at ‘Yew View’, a site I manage for wildlife, near Malvern in Worcestershire. It is a private, seven acre garden.

“This is the first year the Tawnies have nested here, although they have prospected in the box for the last two years, so we were very excited when the female laid. She incubated the eggs for 30 days.”

She added: “Tawny chicks are different to many birds as they leave the box or nest site before they can fly properly.

“This is called ‘branching’. They clamber out, using their beak, talons and developing wings to make their way into the trees, where the parents continue to feed them.

“Since they cannot fly properly, many fall to the ground, but are usually unhurt.

“They are fed from the ground and it is often not long before they make their way back up into the trees.”

She urged anyone who finds a tawny owlet on the floor to leave it if it appears unhurt and only move it if it is danger.

“We put the owlet that had fallen up into an apple tree nearby,” she added. “It was fed that night by the parents and then it made its way up into the larger trees.

“Many owlets end up in rescue centres unnecessarily as people are unaware that this is quite a common occurrence and most will be absolutely fine.”

“Our owlet fell about 30 foot from the tree but as you can see it was none the worse for its quite spectacular exit.”