Lexington resident Michele White told WDKY-TV that it’s a tradition for the family to pick out a Christmas tree every year and this year seemed no different. They had the tree in their home for four days and didn’t notice anything unusual.
Michele White said that the family had decorated their tree as usual and had had the tree in their busy living room for four days before they noticed their little visitor. “I have three dogs,”
“I have three dogs,” White said. “We use this room nonstop: watch TV; the kitchen’s right here; no indication.”
Bobby Hayes, who owns Magic Carpet Cleaning and was at the home while the family was out, first noticed the bird after plugging in a piece of equipment and seeing the tree start to sway.
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The star inside their Christmas tree turned out to be a little owl. Bobby Hayes, who was working as a carpet cleaner for his own company Magic Carpet Cleaning, was at the family’s home and noticed the Christmas tree begin to move as he plugged in some equipment.
The owl was literally sitting on a lower limb here,” Hayes said. “It crawled up into the tree further,” he added, “It took me several minutes to even find it.”
After taking a few pictures to show to Michele, Hayes was able to capture the owl and release it safely back outside.
The owl is thought to be an eastern screech owl (Megascops asio), a common species all year round, found in woods and suburban areas where they will frequently use nest boxes. Despite their name, they have a call more like a soft trill or whinny than a screech, according to the National Audubon Society.
