Kentucky family says live owl emerged from Christmas tree days after it was decorated
A family in Kentucky was surprised to find an owl inside their Christmas tree days after decorating it.
The White family from Lexington, Kentucky, said a friend found an owl in their decorated Christmas tree on November 27th – four days after they put it up. The family says the owl likely was inside the tree the whole time they were decorating it.
"We decorated the tree on Black Friday and didn't notice an owl," Madeline White said. "The owl camouflaged with the inside of the tree, so we never saw him there."
The family said they bought their Christmas tree from a local tree shop near their home. The tree was delivered to the family the day before Thanksgiving, tied up outside of a box. The family decorated the tree on Black Friday. Three days later, Bobby Hayes, the family friend, discovered the owl. Hayes was at the White's home because he was hired to clean their carpets.
"I was in the house by myself when I started a piece of equipment, and I noticed a tree shook, so l investigated further and found an owl in the tree," Hayes said. "After catching the owl and taking some pictures, I released the owl into their backyard, which is heavily wooded with a nice creek flowing through, which should make a perfect home for the owl."
The owl flew straight up into the trees and didn't hurt anyone. The family believes the owl had to have been in the tree when they received it.
"Where the tree is, there are no doors or windows for it to fly in possibly," White said. "We don't keep windows open nor any doors unlocked. I never seen an owl in Lexington before."
Are owls common in Kentucky?
Kentucky hosts six species of owls, according to the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. However, only three species are common in the state of Kentucky.
The Barred Owl, Eastern Screech-Owl, and Great Horned Owl are year-round residents.
Can owls survive days without food?
The Whites say the owl they found in their home could've been in the tree and hadn't moved for days. Owls are not known to drink water frequently. They get most of their fluids from the food they eat. However, if an owl goes without food for a few days, it can become dehydrated which may cause damage to its organs and eventually lead to death.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Owl in decorated Christmas tree stuns Kentucky family
