A lucky man on a boat ended up being “the chosen one” when a barn owl far from shore needed to rest its wings. The owl chose the man’s large straw hat as the best place to land at sea. Other people on the boat shrieked with glee as the man’s buddy urged him to stand still while he took a photo.
LADbible is one of many outlets that shared the viral video on social media, writing: “He is the chosen one.”
The comments section is full of jealous owl lovers.
“My man’s going to Hogwarts!!! Congratulations!” wrote one person in the comment’s section.
“What a privilege to be the place for his rest,” wrote another.
[RELATED: Caught on Trail Cam: Owl Dive Bombs Raccoon at Water Hole]
While it might seem odd for an owl to be flying over the ocean, it’s likely it’s just a young barn owl “dispersing.” According to the Barn Owl Trust, juvenile barn owls are often ready to disperse or move away from their parents’ home range by 14 weeks. This process usually occurs between August and November.
“Dispersal direction appears to be completely random,” says the Barn Owl Trust. “It seems probable that they avoid flying over obstacles such as mountains. However, some must fly out to sea as individuals occasionally turn up on oil rigs and ships.”
Watch the moment a barn owl chose a man’s hat as the best place to rest at sea:
Header stock image by Michael J. Cohen, Photographer/Getty Images