Sleepy owl found resting among items on a New York antique store shelf

"Environmental conservation police officers arrived to find a brown-and-white owl perched on a shelf with its eyes firmly shut. The department said officers gently cradled the sleeping owl to remove it from the store, and then released it into a wooded area, where it flew into a nearby tree."

"The bird, an eastern screech owl, is nocturnal and typically nests in tree cavities. It is not immediately clear how it got inside the store."

Shoppers at The Market Place antique store in East Durham, New York discovered a live eastern screech owl resting on a shelf among merchandise on February 21. Customers alerted staff after spotting the unusual find, and environmental conservation police officers responded to the scene. Officers gently removed the sleeping owl and released it into a wooded area, where it flew to a nearby tree. The eastern screech owl is a nocturnal bird that typically nests in tree cavities. The exact circumstances of how the owl entered the store remain unclear, and store owners were contacted for further information.

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