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Governors Island's First Snowy Owl Named After Revolutionary War General

By Irene Plagianos | February 27, 2015 2:22pm | Updated on March 2, 2015 8:42am
 The artic predator has made its winter home in a few New York City locations
Snowy Owl Lands in New York
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GOVERNORS ISLAND — A Revolutionary War hero has a new badge of honor — he's now the namesake for a rare Arctic bird.

The snowy owl who's made a winter home on Governors Island for the first time has been named Putnam, after General Israel Putnam, who fortified the island before the first shots rang out in the Battle of Brooklyn in 1776.

The Trust for Governors Island, along with DNAinfo New York, asked on social media to help name the unusual visitor from the North last week, and they choose from several suggestions, officials said.

The winning tweet came from Kristen Bonardi Rapp, a Brooklyn-based writer and "sass machine," according to her website.

Aside from setting up camp in the same location, the general and the owl may have some similar personality traits.

According to historical sources, the general, who was George Washington's second-in-command in New York City, was known for his fighting spirit and fearlessness.

With its fluffy white feathers, the snow owl may appear benign, but it's a fierce and exacting predator, experts said.

Snowy owls are generally a rare sighting in New York City. Experts said they likely only travel south from their tundra homes in search of food.