Rescue Owl Smaller Than A Banana Has The Internet 'In A Chokehold' Over Its Cuteness
Just when you thought owls couldn't get any cuter than, say, the one named Casper who's been a natural mother to 500 rescued babies, enter this tiny saw-whet owl, whose adorable image has the internet going bananas, so to speak. That's because the rescue organization that helped save the pocket-sized owl used a literal banana to show off its incredibly small stature, appearing no larger than an American robin. Could it be any cuter?
The adorable image was originally posted on Instagram by Newhouse Wildlife Rescue, showing the teeny creature standing at attention, showing off its big, round eyes as a ripe yellow banana is cradled underneath. The nocturnal bird of prey was found suffering from a broken wing before being rescued, and the Massachusetts-based wildlife organization had this to say in the now-viral post: "Being one of the smallest raptors in North America, it still has a big personality. Named after the sound of its call, which is akin to a saw blade being sharpened on a whetting stone, the Saw Whet Owl is petite...yet fiercely adorable. And of course, banana for scale. 🦉🍌"
"The banana really brings out its eyes!🥰💛," one commenter posted after noticing the owl's bright yellow eyes, as another said, "He doesn't look real!! Wow!" Meanwhile, another person on the internet just plainly stated about seeing the owl, "The cuteness aggression has me in a chokehold." And, yup, the owl is painfully cute, in the best possible way.
About saw-whet owls
As the wildlife org's Instagram post states, saw-whet owls are some of the smallest owls in all of North America, actually clocking in as the smallest to be found in the New England region. The petite bird of prey is named after its distinctive high-pitched screech, which is thought to sound like a metal saw blade being sharpened on a whetstone.
The small-sized species is often no larger than a sparrow or American Robin, usually measuring about 7 inches and weighing less than 5 ounces. Despite their cute appearance and miniscule size, though, saw-whet owls are fierce hunters, primarily eating small animals like mice, other birds, and even frogs.
Due to their diminutive stature and nocturnal nature, they are very hard to spot in the wild, so people don't usually get to see them even from afar, let alone up close, making the viral Instagram owl that much more exciting and aww-worthy. If you can't get enough of cute owls, check out 19 of the cutest owls to ever owl, or this Great-horned owl hooting at a golden retriever.