A LITTLE girl discovered a tiny owl roosting in her family's Christmas tree - but the bird didn't budge straight away.
Instead of a festive partridge or two turtle doves, India Newman, 10, found an owl perched on their indoor pine tree.
India was shocked to find a new feathered friend who wildlife experts believe could have been roosting there for over a week.
Her mom Kate McBride Newman told CNN India was terrified to see the teeny bird of prey nesting alongside the ornaments.
She said India "burst into tears" when she ran into the living room to tell her bemused parents.
Kate said: "She comes very dramatically into the dining room and goes, 'Mama, that ornament scared me.'"
She initially thought India was referring to one of the many decorations on their tree last Thursday.
But the Newmans found a bird instead of a bauble.
They left their windows and doors open during the night so their uninvited guest could make a swift exit.
But the Eastern screech owl clearly wanted to ruffle some feathers in their Georgia home.
Kate's husband Billy saw their resident Lord of the Wings sitting at the top of the tree the next morning.
The family enlisted the help of the the Chattahoochee Nature Center (CNC) to remove the owl last weekend.
A Wildlife Tech told them the bird may have been been living in the tree for over a week when they came to look at it.
The employee told the Newmans - who bought their tree a few days after Thanksgiving - the owl looked a bit peckish.
Kate shared her "Owl Gate" experience on Facebook, posting a plate of raw chicken on a tree branch.
"He ate some chicken!!! You can see the plate in the tree if you scroll down a bit in the pic," she wrote.
"When I peeked around the tree to check on him, he hopped back up to his perch on the higher branch."
When I peeked around the tree to check on him, he hopped back up to his perch on the higher branch.
Kate McBride NewmanThe brazen bird was still defiant on Saturday evening, determined to make the Christmas tree its home.
The Newman family decided to catch and release the bird outside in the wild.
The Chattahoochee Nature Center got the bird from the tree and gently put it into a pet carrier.
"[They] gave him fluids and food ... and put him in a crate with 2 mice," Kate wrote. "We are going to try to release him at twilight."
Kate praised CNC as "truly good Samaritans who saved our Christmas Owl" and urged people to support them.
The Newmans released the little bird that evening with direction from animal experts.
Although getting rid of the owl was a festive hoot, the family say they miss the little guy.
Kate swears she can still hear their feathered visitor hooting nearby, reports CNN.
In a post she captioned "The Final Chapter: Bye bye, birdie," Kate thanked the owl for stopping by.
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"Thank you for the honor you bestowed on our family," Kate wrote. "For making the magic & mystery of advent come alive in our home
"For inspiring connection among all who followed the adventure. God’s peace to you as you make your new home outside our home.
"We hope to see you again. . . And to all a good night," she added, followed by a star emoji.
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