A bobblehead of the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree owl is now available. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, N.Y., where the owl was cared for after being discovered. The little saw-whet owl, dubbed Rockefeller or Rocky for short, made headlines when she hitched a ride inside the 75-foot Norway spruce when it was brought to New York City from Oneonta, N.Y. Pictures of the owl went viral, and she became a social media star and a holiday celebrity.
Now the owl, who’s back at the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in Saugerties, is taking another step toward a full-fledged celebrity status. Her story is the basis of a new children’s book. “The Christmas Owl: Based on the True Story of a Little Owl Named Rockefeller,” is written by Ravensbeard Wildlife Center executive director Ellen Kalish and illustrated by Gideon Sterer with Ramonta Kaulitz. It was published last month by Little, Brown Young Readers and is available on Amazon.
As of today, more than $6,000 has been raised for Ravensbeard Wildlife Center through the sales of the bobblehead. The National Bobblehead Hall of Fame and Museum has a limited number of the Rockefeller Owl Bobbleheads available for pre-order, with delivery scheduled in February 2021. They’re $25 each, plus $8 for shipping. The proceeds will benefit the care of the tiny owl, who’s still in the process of making a full recovery.