Local News

Owl rescued after flying into N.H. casino

The owl spent the night at the casino before it was rescued the following morning.

A barred owl was rescued from Gate City Casino in Nashua, New Hampshire, last week. Courtesy of Mark Martino

updated on March 28, 2025

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A barred owl spent the night in a casino in Nashua, New Hampshire, last week before it was rescued by a local wildlife rehabilitator the following morning.

The owl flew into Gate City Casino last Tuesday night, according to the casino’s marketing manager, Mark Martino.

Local rescuers were unable to immediately remove the bird, Martino said, so casino guests watched as the owl slept perched on a television.

“People were loving it,” he told Boston.com. “Everyone was taking pictures.”

Martino said the owl, who was named “Jack Pots” by the casino’s security team, seemed slightly bothered by all the noise.

“She seemed a little annoyed with us that we were keeping her awake,” he said.

It wasn’t until Wednesday morning that a local wildlife rehabilitator was available to assist. Maria Colby, director of Wings of the Dawn Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, said she used traps and a net to rescue the bird.

“The owl flew from where it was sitting on top of the television monitor, about 20 feet to the left on top of a slot machine,” she told Boston.com. “I netted it, and it took all of like 10 seconds to do.”

The owl was “shaking” and seemed “shell-shocked,” Colby said.

“It was obviously a traumatic experience for the bird,” she said.

Following the rescue, Colby monitored the bird to ensure that it was ready to be released.

“Jack Pots” was sent back out into the wild on Saturday.