LEWISTON – A stunned owl that was found in the middle of a road after apparently being hit by a car has been returned to the wild.

Gordon Soucy heard a commotion outside his home on Webster Street, found the dazed bird and brought it inside.

“His claws and feet were sort of curled under him. He was sitting upright, but his head was sort of aloof, like he wasn’t awake. He looked like he’d been stunned or knocked out or something,” Soucy said.

Reports of barred owls in unusual places have been made in recent months to both the state Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Audubon Society.

Judy Walker, a staff naturalist for Maine Audubon, said barred owls are even showing up at bird feeders, scaring off smaller birds and worrying the people who feed them.

“There are barred owls everywhere,” said Tom Hodgman, a state wildlife biologist who specializes in birds. “I’m getting a lot of calls about barred owls hit by cars or starving.”

An animal control officer told Soucy that his action Sunday night wasn’t such a good idea because owls are predators. But this owl was not putting up much of a fight.

Wildlife rehabilitator Sherri Brooks said the barred owl was just fine after a breakfast of mice and has been returned to the wild.