"Blew my mind:" Family of owls living in Garden Center captivate Lowe's shoppers, employees



COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado -- "Who" is taking roost at a Colorado Lowe's Home Improvement store, and garnering a bevy of attention? A family of owls -- that's "who." (See what we did there?)

"This just blew my mind. I was not expecting this at all. This is so cool!" Brittany Powell, Lowe's customer said.

As spectacular as the Garden Center is at Lowe's, it alone didn't garner that reaction.

"We were just plant shopping and then everybody was walking over here and we were like 'what's going on? There's owls up there! Oh my God!'" Powell said.

Five owls, to be exact! The family consists of Mom, Dad and three owlets. They've been at the store for a few months, drawing more than their fair share of onlookers.

"Who would have thought we'd be coming to Lowe's to see this?" Carol McCallister, Lowe's customer said.

Some customers have been surprised by the owls."You come to Lowe's for plants, not to take pictures of owls," Karen Crafts said.

McCallister, on the other hand, said the owls are the main attraction.

"I've been lucky enough to see them in the wild. This isn't necessarily the wild, but close enough," McCallister said.

Before you think these owls are just a natural attraction, Lowe's employees said they actually do serve an important purpose.

"Taking care of my rabbit population in here, because we do get quite a few rabbits in here from the fields in the back. They come in because there's an abundance of foliage here," Butch Beasley, Lowe's employee said.

Lowe's officials have been working with wildlife officials to ensure the owls are in a safe location at the Garden Center. Beasley said the owlets weigh about three pounds and will be learning to fly soon.

"The next phase is the one we're most concerned with because they don't really fly away. They fly to the ground and Mom takes care of them on the ground for about a month," Beasley said.

While time may be running out to see this owl family, some at Lowe's said they want to make sure the owls see them.

"I figured whistling loud enough, they'd pay attention to me. Like, I'll go in different spots around the yard and whistle and they just turn their head," an employee said.

Wildlife officials have offered to help Lowe's officials move the family once the owlets leave the nest.