After 2 Months of Rest, a Tiny Owl Returns to the Wild Here's an owl. Those words, spoken by an anonymous Samaritan, began a journey of recovery for an injured raptor found in a Sea Gate, Brooklyn, backyard in early October. Owl Jolson, as the tiny creature was dubbed, was delivered in a shoe box to the city parks department's headquarters in Central Park, stunned and unable to fly. The owl, a juvenile of undetermined sex, was identified as a northern saw-whet owl, a species native to Canada but known to enjoy New York City's relatively balmy winters. The bird's injuries - head trauma, a droopy wing and some inflammation - were not deemed grave. After two months at wildlife rehabilitation center on Long Island the bird was released in Central Park on Wednesday afternoon, taking flight like a "Harry Potter" character with an urgent message to deliver.