Tiny Owl Found Inside Rockefeller Christmas Tree Released Back Into The Wild

KEY POINTS

The owl, which was named Rockefeller, was released on Tuesday
The animal care facility where it received treatment shared a footage of the release
The facility said the owl was well-nourished and cared for

A tiny owl, which was found nestled inside the Rockefeller Christmas tree, was released back into the wild Tuesday after specialists gave it a clean bill of health.

The adult male migratory bird had survived a 170-mile journey last week after landscapers cut down the Norway spruce in Oneonta to be trucked to New York City to tower over the famed Rockefeller Center.

The bird, now named Rockefeller, was dropped off at the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, where it was given fluids and "all the mice he will eat," the facility had said in a Facebook post on Nov. 18.

The Ravensbeard Wildlife Center was contacted by the wife of a worker who helped transport the tree. She revealed during the phone call that her husband had spotted the owl inside the tree. Ellen Kalish, director of Ravensbeard Wildlife Center, said it was amazing the owl didn’t get crushed during the bumpy journey from upstate New York to Manhattan.

The animal care facility shared the footage of Rockefeller’s release Tuesday on Twitter. Prior to its release, the facility had said the bird was declared fit to resume its migratory journey.

Rocky's release was a success! She's a tough little bird and we're happy to see her back in the wild. She will feel your love & support through her journey south.#RockefellerOwl Please help us continue our mission to help birds like Rocky for years to come https://t.co/Wg4S9kJZbb pic.twitter.com/AJZ5xPrVQt
— Ravensbeard Wildlife Center (@Ravensbeardorg) November 25, 2020

"Rockefeller has been well nourished and cared for, and has been cleared by specialists to be released back into the wild. We will send her back on her migratory journey today at dusk," the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center said in a separate tweet.

"We have found just the right quiet cluster of conifers to give her the safety she needs. Thank you for all of your love and support," the tweet read.

"We’ve been working hard to ensure that Rockefeller is well taken care of. We always consult with experts & avian veterinarians before the release of a bird, to ensure they have the best chance of reentering the wild," the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center said in a GoFundMe page created for Rockefeller.

Rockefeller belongs to North America’s tiniest owl species named saw-whet. Adult saw-whets are often mistaken for baby owls because of grow up to 5-7 inches and weight about 2-3 ounces.