He gave a hoot.

An owl that was hit by a car and stuck it its grille for three hours is OK after being rescued by a wildlife rehabilitation expert.

The Subaru was on its way from Wilmington, Del., to Southern Shores, N.C., this past weekend when the family on board heard it hit something but continued on their trip. They only discovered the bird when they reached their destination and the non-profit Hatteras Island Wildlife Rehabilitation organization was contacted for assistance.

Founder Lou Browning made the two-hour drive from the organization’s headquarters in Frisco, N.C., and found the bird was bruised but sustained no broken bones. He brought it back to the clinic for some rest and relaxation before returning it to the wild.

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Browning said he sees this sort of incident 70 to 100 times each year and that it is particularly common in the colder months as the owls are out hunting more often.

The Associated Press contributed to this report