A tiny owl that was found dehydrated and hungry in the branches of the Rockefeller Centre Christmas tree is eating his way back to good health and is set to be released back into the wild on Saturday.

The owl was dubbed Rockefeller after he was discovered on Monday by a worker setting up the towering holiday tree in Manhattan.

The bird, an adult male saw-whet owl, was taken to the Ravensbeard Wildlife Centre in the Hudson Valley. He is dining on mice in preparation for a tentative return to the wild before Saturday night.

Ellen Kalish, director of the wildlife centre, told the Daily Freeman: “I just want to make sure he’s well-fed before he goes.”

“He was a little on the thin side when he came in. He probably hadn’t eaten in a number of days.

“So I just want to make sure that he’s at his best weight and health, and then he goes.”

Ms Kalish said the owl is in “great condition” with no bone fractures apparent after an X-ray. She plans to release the owl from the centre’s location in Saugerties, New York.