{"id":903049,"date":"2026-04-18T15:42:38","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T15:42:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/903049\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T15:42:38","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T15:42:38","slug":"woman-hears-coyote-outside-but-finds-a-wide-eyed-wild-baby-instead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/903049\/","title":{"rendered":"Woman Hears ‘Coyote’ Outside \u2014 But Finds A Wide-Eyed Wild Baby Instead"},"content":{"rendered":"

Earlier this month, Katrina Niesen<\/a> was about to take her dog, Luna, for a morning walk when loud, threatening sounds from her porch stopped her in her tracks.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe heard hissing and clacking. I was extremely scared and thought it was a coyote \u2014 they live in our neighborhood,\u201d Katrina told The Dodo. \u201cI bolted back into the house, left Luna [inside], then cautiously went back out to investigate.\u201d<\/p>\n

There was a wild animal on her porch \u2014 just not the one she feared.<\/p>\n

Instagram\/the.sourdough.mama<\/a><\/p>\n

Slowly reopening her front door, Katrina realized the visitor was actually a baby owl<\/a>. As she peeked out, she could see him staring back at her, wide-eyed and surprised.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe’s a spicy little guy!\u201d Katrina said. \u201cHe hissed and clacked his beak very loudly at us to tell us he was now the boss of our porch.\u201d<\/p>\n

The family had been aware of two adult owls living in the neighborhood, but they evidently had a baby who\u2019d grown enough to begin napping outside their nest during the day.<\/p>\n

Katrina named him Little Hootie.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt brought us so much joy,\u201d Katrina said.<\/p>\n

Katrina, also known as The Sourdough Mama<\/a>, is famous for her beautiful 3D bread art creations on Instagram. But the baby owl\u2019s visit was so special she departed from her usual content to share word of him with her followers:<\/p>\n

Little Hootie remained safely on Katrina\u2019s porch for about three days while his parents regularly came to check on and feed him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe could see him through our sliding glass doors while we worked, and it felt so special and calming. Like we were truly babysitting,\u201d Katrina said.<\/p>\n

Instagram\/the.sourdough.mama<\/a><\/p>\n

Katrina was so smitten by Little Hootie that she even decided to make one of her artful 3D loaves of bread in honor of him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’ve always been an owl fan,\u201d Katrina said.<\/p>\n

Little Hootie\u2019s parents continue to guide him as he matures into independence, so he\u2019s since taken to mostly resting elsewhere.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe saw him practice flying and take a nap in a tree,\u201d Katrina said.<\/p>\n

Instagram\/the.sourdough.mama<\/a><\/p>\n

Sightings of Little Hootie have grown less frequent, but the days they observed him up close on their porch are something Katrina and her family will never forget.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was so exciting and magical!\u201d Katrina said.<\/p>\n

To keep up with the latest on Little Hootie, and to check out Katrina’s bread creations, follow The Sourdough Mama on Instagram<\/a>.\u00a0\"Watch<\/a>Watch This Baby Barn Owl Hear Thunder For The First TimeAwwww \ud83d\ude2d\ud83d\udc95<\/a>