The Parkers of Stowmarket, UK returned home from a trip away to discover two tawny owls inside their wood burning stove. They had squeezed down the chimney flue into the stove.
Fortunately, rather than cook them, the Parkers released them. A UK tabloid quotes Mrs.Parker as saying the owl were lucky the fire was not on but I suspect owls probably have a natural instinct that stops them flying head-on through a tiny tunnel full of smoke into a blazing fire. Otherwise they would have gone the way of the dodo and the Gary Glitter fanclub.
DISCLAIMER: do not capture wild animals then shut them in a stove so you can sell the photos, not that the Parkers did, just don't want you to get bad ideas
