LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKRC) – A Kentucky family was in for a cute surprise after they discovered that a baby owl had been living in their Christmas tree for four days before being found. Christmas tree shopping is a tradition that spans decades for the White family.
“Every year, we love it,” said Michele White, according to WDKY. “We pick it out as a family.”
But this year, they got a gift that Santa doesn’t usually deliver. “I was shocked, I was stunned,” White said. Hidden just out of sight on their Christmas tree was a baby owl.
Due to the look of the bird, it was able to hide out for four days before being discovered by the family. How this could have happened, the family still isn’t sure.
“I have three dogs,” said White. “We use this room non-stop, we watch TV here, the kitchen’s right over there, and there was no indication.”
It took someone not even in the family to finally notice the bird. Bobby Hayes was cleaning the carpets for the family while they were away.
“The owl was literally sitting on a lower limb here,” said Hayes.
Hayes is the owner of Magic Carpet Cleaning, he said it wasn’t until he started to use his equipment that he noticed something was different about the tree.
“It crawled up into the tree further,” said Hayes. “It took me several minutes to even find it.”
He grabbed the bird just before it could escape and sent a photo to the White family, according to WDKY.
“I thought he’d put a stuffed animal or an ornament in it, so I called him immediately, like, ‘you’re kidding me, right?'” said White.
White said that she’s specifically going to tell Santa to put Hayes on the nice list this year because if she found the owl instead, well, she’d be hooting and hollering.
“I would have left the house. The owl could’ve stayed without me. I wasn’t coming home,” White said.
Carefully and without hurting the bird, Hayes released him into the family’s backyard.
“Everyone’s going to be able to have a merry Christmas now,” said Hayes.
Source: Local 12
