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Tiny Owl Saved From ‘Peak 2020’ Christmas Tree at Rockefeller Center
A small owl has been rescued from the branches of a holiday disaster in New York City, where Rockefeller Center‘s annual Christmas tree has become a laughing stock for the internet.
The saw whet owl was discovered hiding inside the giant spruce on Monday, shortly before the tree’s scraggly branches were revealed to the public.
The truck driver who drove the 23 metre-long tree into Manhattan says he found the owl in its branches upon his arrival. His wife reported the bird to the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, and wildlife experts promptly rescued it and nursed it back to health.
“We’ve never seen anything like this,” Ellen Kalish, director of the rescue centre, told News 12. “He probably was trapped in when he tied it up and started to transport it. But the fact he’s in such great shape is wonderful.”
Saw whet owls are among the smallest owls in the northeastern United States, according to the wildlife refuge.
They say the bird had not eaten or drunk for three days when they found it. However, it was in good condition on Tuesday and on its way to a full recovery.
The owl, which has been named “Rockefeller,” will be released into the wild once it receives a clean bill of health.
The Rockefeller Center famously sets up a massive Christmas tree each year, and the lighting ceremony is always a big event in Manhattan.
However, this year’s tree left many feeling underwhelmed when footage of the tree went viral earlier in the week. The footage showed branches falling off the bottom of the tree as a crane lifted it into place, revealing a thinner…
