A few days ago New Yorkers became enraptured by the story of a tiny owl who was found in this year’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree.
Workers apparently discovered it after putting the tree up in heart of NYC, meaning it traveled 170 miles all the way from Oneonta, New York to the city!
Luckily the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, NY took “Rocky” (full name: Rockefeller, of course) in and nursed her back to health, as she hadn’t had anything to eat or drink in three days. Though she was originally supposed to be released back into nature over the weekend, but they wanted to consult with experts and avian veterinarians before letting her go. And now, the time has come!
“We have exciting news to share!” they wrote on Facebook only a short while ago.
Rockefeller has been well cared for, and she has been cleared by specialists for take off (yes, we determined Rocky is a girl!) Rocky will continue on her migratory journey south today at dusk. The release will happen at sunset so that she can find safe cover by nightfall. We have found just the right quiet cluster of conifers to give her the safety she needs. We can’t wait to share the footage with everyone, so we can all celebrate Rocky’s return to nature together.
You can donate to help support Ravensbeard Wildlife Center’s important work here.
featured image source: Facebook / Ravensbeard Wildlife Center