Free flying conure..

[Mare]

Some of you may remember when I almost had a pineapple conure delivered to me from a friend, Kathy, who no longer wanted her bird and lives in Washington, it was around a year ago Thanksgiving time. She decided to keep her bird so, little Nelly, did not end up here.

I just received a frantic call from Kathy, she was in tears. She's been letting Nelly be free flying for 8-9 months now. I told her from the get go, I would never fly a bird smaller than a U2. Nelly didn't come home tonight. Kathy said she always comes flying in when called, she called for two hours..and nothing.

This was my worst nightmare with flying Amigo. I've been through this scenario with him/Amigo and I gave Kathy the only wisdom I have on this.

Hawks are real (she didn't know hawks eat birds!) but also, Nelly could have hunkered down for the night somewhere. Nelly is also coming into maturity and feeling her independence. If she doesn't show by morning, it's a real good possibility she landed in someone's yard (she's a friendly bird) and she got picked up. She needs to hang flyers everywhere and pray for a response.

I'll give her a call tomorrow, I hope little Nelly is home by then..

[Merrick]

Poor Kathy hope everything sorts out fine. hopefully Nelly returns

[Mare]

Thanks, Merrick, I do to. I'm definitely not an advocate of all captive birds to be free flying. I do have one, Amigo, and we've been very lucky. It breaks my heart to think this little conure could be in trouble. :(

[Casper's 2nd best friend]

I do hope Nelly is having great adventure and that nothing nasty has happened. My first reaction if a domesticated parrot landed in my garden would be to care for it and try and contact the owner. Others might just look upon it as a source of cash and put it up for sale. So don't just look on the lost birds forums but look at the for sale ads as well.
I sincerely hope that she is found safe and happy and that she will be allowed to continue her free flying adventures.
Has she been chipped?

[spiritbird]

If she gets Nellie back I know she will be wiser in not letting her out in the big, bad world. I really hope she is safe somewhere. Its getting cold!!

[kendrafitz]

Oh no, I hope that little Nelly is ok and comes home very soon!

[Mare]

Jean-Pierre, I don't think Nelly is chipped, I'll ask Kathy. Thank you for some great advice, I'll pass that on when I speak with her. I'm almost afraid to call, I lost sleep over this last night..it hits close to home for me and my heart breaks for Kathy.

[spiritbird]

Any news?

[Lady]

Oh my how sad for Kathy. I hope Nelly comes home safe and sound. Maybe even an ad in a neighborhood paper would be a good idea?

[Mare]

I spoke with Kathy a few hours ago, Nelly never came home. Kathy is devastated and I can imagine how much pain she is going through. She is going to do all the posting she can, in flyers, papers and on-line. Eewwyuck..not a place I would want to be in right now..I gather all my positive thoughts for this little bird and truly hope she is in good hands.

[kendrafitz]

Oh no. I'm sorry Nelly hasn't returned yet. I hope she finds her way home soon!

[Mare]

Poor Kathy :(. She called me a little while ago, in tears. Nelly still isn't home and she's taking it really hard. She's worried that she could be hurt and laying in a ditch somewhere, it's getting cold up in her Seattle area and if Nelly is alive and hurt, she won't last long. Kathy asked me if birds come into heat, like other animals. I told her I don't know..?..does anyone here know? She was thinking she may have been lured off by another bird, I think this is highly unlikely unless there were other conures around.

That's the update. She's checked with shelters and rescues in the area and is posting in the paper, too.

[tropics1989]

Uh oh poor nelly

[Albert]

I feel for your friend. My first parrot, Skylar, a red spectacled Amazon, flew off in NYC when startled off my shoulder by a truck hitting its air brakes. It took a long time for me to get over that, and he never showed up any where ( this was all way pre-Internet and stuff ). Very sorry for her loss.