No one knows what happened to Rocky after that. Saw-whet owls typically live to be four years old in the wild, so if she was still hunting in the woods of New York state she’d be a pretty big old lady by now. Kalish did not do anything to help track her whereabouts or mark her as the famous Christmas owl. “I don’t want people to harass Rocky,” she said. “Sure enough, a week after we released her, people would say, ‘I saw a chainsaw in my yard. Could it be Rocky?’ I was thinking, For crying out loud, leave the bird alone. I chose not to tie her down. I just want her to be free and have a life.”
The story of Rocky the owl has become a souvenir of mankind.
Her big-city adventures have been immortalized in Lowery’s new animated film; Marvel Studios series Hawk eyes also included a footnote to the little feather hunter in its finale, when Jeremy RennerHis shooting hero dives from above into a tree at Rockefeller Center. Many children’s books have also been written about Rocky’s experiences, including Little Owl & Big Tree, via Jonah And Jeanette Winter. Rocky’s real-life rescuer wrote his own autobiography, Christmas Owl, for which Kalish collaborated with the writer Gideon Steer and illustrator Ramona Kaulitzki. Wildlife refuges also sell Rocky Owl tree ornaments, coffee mugs and t-shirts to raise money for rescue efforts.
Courtesy of Ravensbeard Wildlife Center
Ravensbeard Wildlife Center does not own Rocky’s copyright so anyone can tell her story, but the little owl has become a sort of mascot for the shelter. Rocky’s legacy is now helping protect other wild creatures in need of rescue and rehabilitation. “We are a nonprofit and we exist thanks to the kindness of our donors,” said Matt Kalish, Ellen’s son, who helps oversee the organization. “We can’t charge for any of these services and it’s really expensive. We spend about 1,200, 1,500 USD per month on food. Any attention and attention we can get and any donations we can add to keep this going for another 25 years, we are truly grateful .”
Lowery says he’s hopeful An almost Christmas story will help remind people of Ravensbeard’s work during the upcoming gift-giving season.
“The important thing to remember is that it is a real bird and there are dedicated people who care for such birds,” he said. “If this film does anything, I hope that it will increase the amount of donations that the sanctuary receives. Because that’s much more important than the warm feeling we get when watching a cute owl appear in New York City.”
