WIZARD the European Eagle Owl stands a much better chance of living to the ripe old age of 50 after he was rescued from a block of flats by the Totnes Rare Breeds Farm.

The farm recently celebrated Wizard’s 20th ‘hatchday’ and expect him to live for another 30 or 40 years.

Wizard joined the rare breeds farm at the tender age of six months, said owner Sam Adams.

She explained: “The original owner of the farm got him from a rescue centre after he had been living in a block of flats in Birmingham.

“Obviously this is a highly inappropriate place to keep an owl. I certainly would not recommend owls as pets, no matter what Harry Potter suggests.

“They require careful handing and the correct knowledge. They are a bird of prey first and foremost, not a puppy, and certainly not a carrier pigeon.”

Sam continued: “Wizard has just turned 20 but despite this, he’s still only a young owl. They can make it to 20 in the wild but there he would be considered an old owl.

“In contrast, they are very long lived in captivity. Fifty is a conservative estimate, he could live to anything between 40 and 60 years.

“In the wild they have to fight for food, find mates and survive the many threats out there, which are usually human made, which shortens their lifespans.

“In captivity they’ve got their food provided and vet care. They don’t have to waste energy day-in, day-out just living, their lifestyle is a lot easier.

“They are found across Europe and recently are making a comeback in the UK after people persecuted them until they became extinct here.

“They hunt everything from rabbits to foxes and a female, which is much larger than a male, can even kill small deer like muntjac.”