Pair of black eyes in family’s fireplace was large bird hiding in Massachusetts home

A strange home intruder — or maybe a Peeping Tom — was caught in the act by a Massachusetts family, after they investigated a pair of black eyes staring back at them from the fireplace.

The culprit proved to be a large owl, and the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife shared a photo of it appearing to be unapologetic.

“Last week, we received a call from a homeowner with an interesting predicament,” the department wrote Thursday in a Facebook post that has since been shared hundreds of times.

“A barred owl had found its way into their chimney and was now sitting in the fireplace. Fortunately, (an officer) was able to assist, carefully removing the owl from the fireplace and examining it for injuries before releasing it outside, where it quickly flew off.”

It happened in the Bolton area, about 30 miles west of Boston, according to WCVB. The state didn’t say how long the bird might have been stuck.

Had it breached the hearth screen, the family would have found itself chasing a 20-inch-long wild animal with a 39- to 44-inch wingspan, according to All About Birds.

The owl got lucky there was no fire. But the family got lucky, too, because the intrusion could have gotten more complicated. It’s nesting season for barred owls across Massachusetts, state officials said.

“Barred owls do not build their own nests. They are cavity nesters, meaning they typically will select a hollow tree or use the nest of a hawk or squirrel to lay their eggs,” the state wrote. “This particular barred owl might have been looking for a cavity to nest when it found itself in a chimney with no easy escape.”

Barred owls produce about four eggs per nesting, and it takes just a month for them to hatch, MassAudubon.org says.

This story was originally published February 12, 2021 at 6:28 AM with the headline "Pair of black eyes in family’s fireplace was large bird hiding in Massachusetts home."