An Owl Was Rescued From The Rockefeller Center Tree

Have you ever dealt with wildlife entering your home via your Christmas tree? One year my wife and I battled a seemingly never-ending spider infestation, which is what spurred on our decision to buy an artificial tree for the foreseeable future.

There is always a chance of bringing in some bugs like spiders or ticks or ants, and I guess there's always a chance of small woodland creatures like mice hitching a ride. I kind of assume that not many birds would stow away, because you should probably be able to see any sort of nest before you wrap the tree and put it on the roof of your car.

Obviously when you're working with a 75-foot-tall tree, it would be a bit harder to check for every animal...and this year, there was a surprise waiting for one of the workers who transported the tree from Oneonta to New York City.

It was the cutest angriest baby owl I've ever seen!

Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, which has the awesomest wildlife center name I've ever heard, rehabs animals from their location in Saugerties, New York, which is about two hours north of New York City and about two hours west of Oneonta. They got a phone call from a woman who said her husband was on the crew that was transporting and rigging up the tree in Rockefeller Center. He noticed the baby owl and managed to catch it and keep it safe in a box until they could find a place to bring it.

The staff at Ravensbeard has been keeping him hydrated and full of mice, and will release him back into the wild when he is healthy enough!

It's a nice story to see that the owl is being helped, but unfortunately I keep thinking of what a shame it is that his home was cut down in the first place. The poor lil guy lost his home, his parents are probably looking for him (and looking for a new home themselves). Hopefully the staff at Ravensbeard can make a trip to Oneonta and try to release the owl in the area where the tree was taken. Honestly, it would make a fantastic kid's Christmas movie!