So, this year's Rockefeller Center Christmas tree has been getting a lot of hate after this Instagram photo showed the tree looking a lot less full than usual.
But the gigantic tree has also been trending for a completely different reason — which involved this little guy.
This feathery friend is an adult male saw-whet owl — a tiny owl that was actually found in the Rockefeller Christmas tree on Monday by a worker helping to set up the tree.
They found a small owl inside of this year’s Rockefeller Christmas tree, he hitched a ride all the way to NYC and is now being treated and cared for at a wildlife rehab facility.
While he was "unharmed" when discovered, the owl was "dehydrated and hungry," according to Ellen Kalish, director and founder of the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center. He was taken to the wildlife center and has been taken care of by a veterinarian.
Now, the plan is to release our friend back into the wild this weekend.
BTW, he has been named "Rockefeller" after the situation he found himself in.
People on Twitter have been touched by this story, as it's gained plenty of attention online — including shoutouts to the worker who rescued him and the wildlife center for caring for him.
@ABC so cute! well done rescuers...humans of the world need to give more saving gestures towards each other!
@techladyallison I'm gonna need someone to turn this into a heartwarming children's book IMMEDIATELY. The little owl's big city Christmas adventure.
@andreapsalcedo Gorgeous. Glad he survived! Thanks to the kind-hearted worker who rescued him from tree and got him to safety / care. ❤️
Others feel the story raises concerns about wildlife and the destruction of natural habitats.
@PeteWeatherBeat @LisaSpitzNews @FarahJadran @FrankieJupiter @CNYCentral @JanaBarnello Poor dear. How easily we forget these are homes we are taking to adorn in lights then destroy.
@AP It's the fact that people think this is a cute story for me. This is horrible. This is sad. They literally cut down a tree that was hundreds of years old & clearly this little owls' home. For what? So that in a month it can be firewood or worse, nothing?! Humans are disgusting!
@rockcenternyc The right thing to do is not to cut that tree for Christmas in the first place.
But among the concerns, there is still a sense of hope for Rockefeller's story and wishes for him to stay safe in his new home.
@PeteWeatherBeat @RexDoctor @LisaSpitzNews @FarahJadran @FrankieJupiter @CNYCentral @JanaBarnello Why do we have to cut trees down for Christmas? The trees are home to so many creatures and there are creative alternatives to cutting trees down. I hope this beautiful Saw-whet owl survives and gets a new home in the wild near where he is from. Thank you for rehabilitating him!