Found this cute little holiday news story to serve as your daily reminder to vote in Owl of the Year. Click through to see more pics.
There’s no place like home for the holidays, but what happens when your home gets unexpectedly moved? That’s what happened to a baby owl in Kentucky.
The yuletide guest was found nestled inside a Lexington family’s Christmas tree, which was fully decorated inside their home at the time.
“I was shocked,” Michele White said. “I was so stunned.”
The baby owl was discovered rockin’ around their Christmas, blending in with the branches and going undetected for four days.
“I have three dogs,” White said. “We use this room non-stop — watch TV, the kitchen’s right here. No indication.”
Bobby Hayes, the owner of Magic Carpet Cleaning, spotted the feathered fellow while cleaning the home’s carpets while the family was away.
“The owl was literally sitting on a lower limb here,” he said.
Hayes said after plugging in a piece of equipment, he noticed the tree swaying and the owl on the prowl.
“It crawled up into the tree further,” Hayes said. “It took me several minutes to even find it.”
Hayes, who was able to grab the bird, sent a photo to White.
“I thought he’d put a stuffed animal or an ornament in it, so I called him immediately. I’m like, ‘You’re kidding me, right?‘” White said. “He was like, ‘No.’”
White now wants Hayes to be put on the ‘Nice List’ because she said if she had found the owl instead, she’d be hooting and hollering into the new year.
“I would have left the house,” said White. “The owl could’ve stayed without me. I wasn’t coming home.”
Without injuring the baby bird, Hayes released the owl into the family’s backyard, sure it was pining for a wooded place again.
“Everybody’s going to be able to have a merry Christmas now,” Hayes said.
White, who needlepoints Christmas ornaments in her free time, is now inspired to stitch an owl one for the tree.
I’m glad they found it before the dogs did - 4 days undetected is pretty impressive!
I particularly love this image of it in the branches - it looks so cozy (although perturbed by the flash).
Alt text: Photo of an owl nestled tightly in the branches of a Christmas tree, one eye closed and the other barely open
Having been young and moved so far from his home, straight releasing him doesn’t really have an amazing outlook. If anyone ever gets in this situation take them to a wildlife rehab
This was my first concern. Non-migratory owls I’ve read about usual don’t ever go more than a mile or 2 from their birth place. Who knows who’s territory he was set loose into… I’m hoping they left the tree out for a day to drop needles like we always did and it just hopped on then.
Very true! I was surprised it fooled the pups. Owls are stealth masters!
After running neck and neck this morning, Great Grey now has a solid lead over Northern Spotted. Can Spotty turn things around, or is he just too quiet and sweet to do well here too?
With this match you guys are really proving size does matter, and that you prefer the smaller the better! It’s too early to count out the Powerful Owl just yet though!
Saw Whet and Shorty both had great days yesterday, with very clear victories in their divisions.
Poor bird must have been terrified… trapped in a home for days without food or water, and with predators and bright lights all around that it can’t escape from. I’m glad it got found before the dogs got it, or before it died of starvation or dehydration, but I hope it ended up ok after getting released… It must have been so weakened and scared.
It seems to have good survival skills from the details we do know of the story. Hopefully it was a local owl and is back to where it belongs! Merry Christmas wherever you are, little Screechie!
WhoOooO cut down my home?
I really wonder at what point the owl got into the tree and why it decided to stick around. Did it take a nap in there at the tree lot and wake up as it got tossed in the tree-netting device? Did they leave it outside their house overnight and it climbed in? How did it not take off the second somebody started tossing the tree around? Crazy lil owl. I hope it does well in it’s possibly new home.
