Olathe Ford Lincoln The only federally protected Ford F-250 in the world is free to go home with its new owner now that a family of baby robins finally decided it was time to spread their wings and fly away after their mama made a nest out of the truck's 34-inch front tire for nearly a month. It's one of the more bizarre and heartwarming stories I can remember, that's for sure. Not only did the birds leave behind a 2026 F-250 King Ranch on May 27, but they also left behind international fame. I mean, they were in countless news outlets, including The New York Times. Even Ford got in on the fun, blogging about it on its media website. However, Olathe Ford-Lincoln outside Kansas City, Kansas, says they're going to keep the nest in place just a little bit longer, just in case the robins want to come back for old time's sake. The employees at Olathe clearly had a great time with their little visitors. They created all sorts of fun posts on Facebook with the birds they've dubbed Lugnut, Axle, Diesel and Turbo. In the posts, employees have "interviewed" the birds about why they chose to set up shop at Olathe, created memes with them and written about the worldwide recognition the birds were getting. My favorite post, by a mile, has to be the "interview," where one employee asks the birds about the "family-friendly wheel well" of the "nest in class" truck. Fly away Olathe Ford Lincoln "We're truly a family environment and we welcome everyone with open arms, whether they buy from us or not — and that doesn't stop with people," Sammi Dodson, marketing manager at Olathe, told Ford. The dealership also noted that the F-250's buyer was very understanding when they heard the birds needed to fly the coop before taking delivery of their new truck. There were actually ways that the F-250's new owner could have gotten the truck sooner, even though the robins were protected by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and the nest couldn't be too badly disturbed. Operation WildLife, a Kansas rehabilitation center, told the dealership that it could relocate the nest to a similar pickup if needed, according to Automotive News. However, the buyer — a construction company — agreed to wait so as not to disturb the robins. While it wouldn't take forever, waiting weeks to pick up your brand-new F-250 King Ranch that costs about $90,000 does require some patience and understanding. Olathe Ford Lincoln While the truck was housing the birds, employees at Olathe Ford-Lincoln still put up traditional windshield signage to show that the truck had been sold. The customer's name was listed as "ROBIN," and the expected delivery date was "TILL THEY FLY." "The new owners said they were in no hurry to get the truck and the robins could finish raising their family," Diane Johnson, Operation Wildlife's executive director, told The Times. I'm going to miss these little guys.
