What a catch! Florida fishermen rescue adorable OWL lost 20 miles out at sea after bird landed on their fishing rod

Two fishermen filmed themselves rescuing an adorable owl who appears to be lost 20 miles out to sea.

The duo captured on camera the most surreal moments of their impromptu quest – from their feathered friend landing on their fishing rod off the coast of Florida, to the bird of prey finally flying free across land.

It caught the attention of 2.6 million people online after Paige Galdieri, the sister of fisherman Andrew Galdieri, shared the vibrant 30-second clip of their adventure on TikTok.

Their story begins with the maroon owl perched precariously on the thin end of their rod amidst a picturesque landscape on a beautiful, sunny day at sea off Sarasota.

Strong winds pound the bird as it spreads its wings sporadically to keep its balance, while one of the fishermen shouts, “You’re a little lost, homeboy!”

The fisherman managed to get the precariously perched owl off the end of their fishing rod into a comfortable blanket, and one of them rocked him like a baby as they raced back to shore in Sarasota.

He fixes his gaze on the men in the boat as the fishing rod wobbles and pushes the bird of prey back and forth as it struggles to stay steady.

“Homeboy is lost, 20+ miles out,” reads a caption accompanying the chaotic scene.

The footage cuts to the amber-colored animal wrapped in a towel in the arms of a fisherman wearing a bandana and sunglasses as their motorboat heads back to shore.

“Boy is lost!” the fisherman yells over the sound of the engine, while the bird looks more relaxed, cuddled up in its blanket under the shade of their boat’s roof.

“Let’s take him home, pet,” the rescuer says as he turns to film the driver, who says, “Take him home!” while the bird of prey appears to be winking at the camera.

The next scene shows the fisherman holding his new friend, who sits calmly in his hand as the boat approaches the ‘motherland’.

He extends his arm with the bird on his fingers, before leaping into the air and soaring above shimmering turquoise waters to a tree-lined beach.

The fishermen shout ‘free bird!!!!!!’ as it flaps its wings and disappears into the foliage.

Their farewell is captioned with a crying face emoji and the words: ‘Bye buddy’.

But one viewer of their viral video pointed out that owls have a “great memory” — and the bird “might be there looking for you when you go there again.”

Their video was shared on TikTok by Paige Galdieri, the sister of fisherman Andrew Galdieri, who she says doesn’t have the video-sharing app.

Her clip is titled ‘My Brother and His Friend Saved an Owl’ and has been viewed 2.6 million times, with hundreds of people flocking to express their appreciation for the clip.

Their story began when the maroon owl perched precariously on the thin end of their rod amidst a picturesque landscape on a beautiful, sunny day out at sea off Sarasota.

The fishermen shout ‘free bird!!!!!!’ as it flaps its wings and disappears into the foliage. A viewer of the resulting TikTok video pointed out that owls have “amazing memories” and may return to see their rescuers again

One person posted a laughing emoji with the words “free bird,” while others wanted to know if Galdieri had seen the owl since then.

Many viewers asked how the fisherman made sure that the owl did not swing dangerously on the fishing rod, but calmly rocked it in a blanket.

One person described the rescue as an example of “healthy manhood,” while another joked, “I think your brother just got accepted into Hogwarts.”

Several people said the video showed an “owl distribution system” at sea and others described the cuddly creature as an “air cat” or a “cat with wings.”