According to the Ravensbeard Wildlife Center in New York ... one of the workers who helped transport the giant tree from Oneonta to NYC last week discovered the bird and took it in.

His wife contacted the nonprofit org to ask if they could rehabilitate the owl and they said yes, so the husband put it in a box and made the delivery.

It seems the owl's a bit of a Christmas miracle too, because Ravensbeard says it's a saw-whet owl -- the smallest species in the northeast -- and babies are typically born in the spring, not November.

The baby bird was badly malnourished, so the wildlife center gave it some fluids and has been feeding it all the mice it can handle ... and it's now in good shape.

Ravensbeard says once the owl gets a clean bill of health from a vet, it will be released back into the wild to continue on its journey. And fittingly, it's been named "Rockefeller."

Speaking of which, it seems Rockefeller the owl made out better than its former home -- the tree lost a lot of greenery on its way to placement in Rockefeller Center for the holiday season.

Take a look ... 2020 strikes again.