London  - A bird sanctuary in Britain has blamed the growing number of abandoned owls on Harry Potter magic.

The Flintshire Wildlife and Pet Rescue Centre in Holywell, Wales, said Monday it was currently looking after 36 owls and believed that at least half of the birds were bought for children who had read the Harry Potter books or seen the films.

"People want these owls for small children but they are not suitable for small children, especially the large owls like Hedwig in the Harry Potter film," said Joy Pierce Jones, the centre's co-owner.

"It is a very nice pet but you have to have the commitment. Children have not got that commitment to go and do what is necessary to make sure there is food defrosted the night before to feed them the next day," she said.

Jones said the centre also received regular calls from people who wanted to buy owls. One man had offered to pay 1,000 pounds (2,000 dollars) for a snowy owl, which is an endangered species.

"The people who are selling owls to people as pets don't care that you have knowledge of how to look after them," said Jones. (dpa)