Tiny Owl Found Inside Rockefeller Christmas Tree Becomes Social Media Darling As He Recovers From Strenuous Trek

Nov 23, 2020 by apost team

After a long journey, a sweet baby owl has become a national favorite after being spotted and rescued from the magnificent Rockefeller Christmas tree in New York on November 14th. Though he looks like a little baby, this tiny owl is actually an adult who was tuckered out after not having food or fluids for days. He is currently safe and being tended to at the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in the Hudson Valley. 

Last Monday, a worker who was setting up the tree in New York City found a little owl tuckered away in the branches and rescued him. The bird is thought to have been stowed away in the Norway Spruce as it was cut down almost 170 miles northwest from the city in Oneonta, New York, and was brought to Manhattan on Saturday, November 14th, reports ABC7. 

The little owl was found by one of the workers who helped to transport and secure the tree when it arrived in the city. The worker's wife then called the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, who took the owl in and is helping him to recover from his arduous journey. 

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The owl was found to be dehydrated and hungry, and according to the center's Facebook post, it looked like it was 3 days since the owl had any food or liquid intake. Once he was securely brought to the center and taken care of, he has been eating all the mice to his heart's fill, says the post. Since he was found stowed away in the Rockefeller tree, he was aptly named "Rockefeller", or Rocky for short. 

When the center got the call about a baby owl, they stated that they were confused, "All baby owls are born in the spring, so the idea that there was a baby owl in November didn’t make sense," the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center wrote in a Facebook post on Tuesday.

Though he looks like a baby owl, he is actually an adult male Saw-Whet, which is the smallest variety of owls found in the Northeast, according to the center's post. These types of owls are generally found in coniferous forests and spruce-fir associations, according to the site Audubon.

Speaking of Rocky's eventual release from the center, Director Ellen Kalish told the Daily Freeman on Thursday last week, "I just want to make sure he's well-fed before he goes," and added  "He was a little on the thin side when he came in. He probably hadn't eaten in a number of days. So I just want to make sure that he's at his best weight and health, and then he goes," according to ABC7. 

The center is located in Saugerties, New York, and Rocky would most likely be making the journey back to where he came from in Oneonta, which is quite a long journey for a small bird. It is then imperative that he has the strength to do so and recover well enough. The center also said in their statement that, "Rockefeller is doing very well. He has been moved to an outdoor location so that he can acclimate to the weather."

According to CBS News, even though Rocky will soon be returning to his home in the wild soon, his iconic namesake Rockefeller Center said on Thursday that he will "always have VIP access to this tree." The famous Christmas tree is said to officially usher in the holiday season in New York City and is lit up on December 2nd, as per CBS. 

Since the center has posted about rescuing Rocky, they have been able to raise over $2000 to care for both him and the other birds that are rescued by the center. This non-profit group has helped to rehabilitate all types of birds in the wild, such as ducks, turkeys, and other birds of prey for over 20 years. The center's GoFundMe page states that they have rescued over 150 birds just this year, and could use all the help they get to take care of these animals. 

The finding and rescuing of Rocky is certainly a sweet Christmas story for this year. The little one is due to be released on Sunday to Monday according to their Facebook post, but could also be as earlier depending on his condition. As he journeys back to his home, we wish him safe travels. 

As we prepare for the holiday season, heartwarming stories like this keep our spirits up. We hope that little Rockefeller comes to visit the home he was found in that will be decorated and lit up soon once again in New York City! 

What did you think of this sweet story? Let us know your thoughts below, and be sure to share this adorable owl's journey with your friends as well!