A nonprofit educational group in Maine has announced 27-year-old Byron the Barred Owl, a "wildlife ambassador" who helped educate thousands of students, has died of natural causes.

The Chewonki Foundation made the announcement Thursday, saying the owl is believed to have visited more than 80,000 Maine school children during her time with the educational institution based in Wiscasset. WCSH-TV reports Byron averaged about 153 live appearances a year statewide.

Byron was brought to Chewonki in 1990 as a rescue animal after Brunswick veterinarian Amy Wood says she had to amputate the owl's badly damaged right wing.

For well over a decade Byron toured with staff as they presented natural history lessons in schools, libraries, veterans' homes, elder housing and various other locations.