Family startled as unexpected visitor found in their chimney | Weird | News

A bird has become an overnight social media star after it was found trapped in the fireplace of a US home.

A video of the incident, shared by Aaron Monke on TikTok, captured the moment a large owl had to be rescued by professionals from his parents’ Minnesota residence. “A big owl fell into my parents’ chimney and got rescued this morning,” he wrote alongside the footage.

As the owl was gently handled and led to safety by a specialist from the Wildlife Intensive and Critical Care Unit (WICCU), its loud hoots could be heard – possibly out of fear and/or gratitude – as it was placed in a cardboard box ready to be transported to a more suitable environment for a check-up.

The clip has amassed over 2.7 million views in just five days, with users humorously commenting on the owl’s predicament. One person quipped, “But did he deliver the Hogwarts letter?” Aaron replied: “Didn’t see one. We think it’s a female building a nest. Its mate was waiting at the stack and didn’t leave till they brought her back a few hours later.”

Another person mistook the owl’s hooting for a woman screaming, admitting: “I thought the lady was screaming. I was like… don’t be dramatic. Then I realized it was the owl being dramatic.”

A third commenter noted the owl’s calm demeanor, however, explaining: “He was actually pretty chill considering what was happening. They are extremely intelligent and I think they sense when people are just trying to help them.”

A fourth TikTok user joked of the owl’s experience: “From being stuck in a chimney to being stuck in a baby wipes box, what an adventure.” Whilst a fifth viewer praised the rescuer’s actions: “Wow! Incredible! Beautiful owl and she handled it so so well. Amazing.”

Others, meanwhile, identified the bird as a barred owl – a North American species, alternatively known as the northern barred owl or striped owl.

The Wildlife Intensive Care Unit (WICCU) describes itself on its website as a “non-profit organization that provides assistance to Minnesota’s wildlife by performing wildlife rescues, admitting injured and orphaned wildlife while providing medical support and nursing care during an animal’s rehabilitation process”.

Furthermore, the site mentions: “With the support of a variety of veterinarians, our goal is for the patient to be released back into the wild after recovering from the trauma or abandonment they had endured. We enjoy participating in educational events and sharing with the public our passion to help these animals.”