Owner Seeks Assistance In Locating Lost Parrot
[Updated] The owner of an African Grey Parrot named Ozzy is asking for the public’s assistance in locating the animal, described by its owner as a “spoiled bird and survival skills are lacking.”
The bird, which has been missing since Saturday [Sept 29] is physically described as being “light grey with a red tail and black hooked beak; larger than a pigeon.”
A missing poster for Ozzy says, “She responds to her name if you call out – please listen for a series of sounds effects, whistled tunes, or noises in the trees in your yard. Best time and places to listen are early morning [sunrise] and evening [sundown].”
Anyone with information as to Ozzy’s whereabouts is asked to call Stephanie at 504-9282.
Update 3.25pm: New poster below with additional information on location, Ozzy is “suspected to be within a 1 to 3 mile radius of Botanical Gardens.”
Update 5.35pm: The bird’s owner said, “Thank you to everyone who has had the compassion to help spread the word. Thank you Bermuda. Even though it feels futile to search for a bird, I really cannot shake the incredible guilt I feel if she is suffering and waiting to be rescued. I have to at least try to find her.
“Ozzy is 9 years old. She was hand-reared, and is not a confident flyer. This has never happened before so this is her first time outside in the elements. This will be her third night out there – she is particularly sensitive to being wet and cold.
“She took flight just to the east of the top of Tee Street. She was headed directly south toward south shore road Devonshire [down Tee Street when I lost sight of her], but the wind was strong and could have carried her south-west.
“Our biggest hope of finding her is someone hearing her.
“She does sound like a kisadee or a other birds, sometimes – and she may be trying to blend in with the other birds – but it is usually followed but another random sound or series of noises – so keep trying for a while.
“She is grey with a red tail and black hooked beak. She may look like a pigeon from a far, which makes her hard to spot – but she won’t sound like a pigeon.
“She is terrified of everything.
“Generally, when she flies in the house, she crash lands somewhere on the floor, and she looks for somewhere to hide – a dark cozy spot – until I come and scoop her up off the floor. If that is any indicator of what she may be thinking now, she may still be somewhere at the bottom of Tee Street / Botanical Gardeners, Hungry Bay, Happy Talk, Kent Avenue, Seabright Ave, just waiting to be rescued; which would make her vulnerable to cats and/or other birds.
“But, if she has taken flight again, we have to assume she could have been carried even further south-west with the strong winds. So even if you live outside of Devonshire and Paget, I still beg you to have a look.
“I am appealing for people to have a walk around their properties and in their neighborhoods this evening and tomorrow morning, and the next few evenings and mornings. She is the most vocal between 6:30am – 9:00am and again at 5:30pm – 8:00pm. Please have a look in your yards – call out to her by name “Ozzy” or whistle a short tune [any tune] and wait for a response. It may take a few tries, you may dismiss the first few sounds [thinking is a normal bird or a sound from the neighbor’s yard], but once she starts chatting – she usually gets going.
“Please check the little corners around your house for potential hiding spots. You may find her on a man-made structure like rooftops, kids play areas, jungle gyms, phone poles, and death tree limbs. Since is scared of everything – a big dense tree may be too terrifying with all this wind – so look in open areas too.
“My hope is that if there are many people spread out throughout the island calling to her name Tonight and Tomorrow morning – she may hear one of our cries, and someone else in a different neighborhood/or the over hedge line may hear her cries.
“Spoiled parrots do not have the skills to forage for food. I tried to introduce her to all sorts of things to break her fears of things. I can only hope that all the foraging toys were enough to encourage her foraging skills and instincts. Sadly though, wild birds have their parents and folk to show them how to find water, what to eat and, more importantly, what not to eat.
“Thank you to everyone – I have encountered so many wonderful people in my search for Ozzy and I just want to say thank you to everyone for the compassion and empathy they have shown me.”
Update Oct 2, 11.16am: Ozzy’s owner has shared a video of the bird vocalizing with the hope that it helps people to recognize her calls if they come across her.
Update Oct 5, 8.53am: Ozzy’s owner said, “Ozzy was found dead this morning. You may end your search.
“I am devastated and processing. She was the best bird. I will never meet another like her.
“I will find a way to thank those strangers who really helped me look for Ozzy, those who wrote messages in support, and those who greeted me at their door, or on their walks with empathy and a kind word. Those who allowed me to walk around their properties to look for her. You melted my heart.”
Can we narrow it down at all? Where did she fly from (area?parish?)… in case she has a tendency to stay close to home??
Updated the poster! Ozzy is “suspected to be within a 1 to 3 mile radius of Botanical Gardens.”
Ozzy – Spotted but NOT FOUND! Last seen: Point Finger Road
Hi everyone, I happened to meet a very kind gentlemen on Point Finger Road this evening around 5:45pm. I called out to her a few times, and then moved on…
He called me, minutes later, to say that he had just seen her on an antenna on a neighboring rooftop. She flew off in the direction of Trimingham Hill. (She may be doing a loop or she may be drifting further west.)
Please continue to search for Ozzy. Look out for man-made structures. She is like terrified of the moving trees. (easier for spotting her, but I worry about cats at night, if she is too exposed, while she sleeps.)
If you HEAR her call me 504-9282. If you SEE her .. please speak to her, call her name, use the words she knows.. “hey bird” “Ozzy bird” “it’s ok”… whistle, to keep her attention and PLEASE CALL ME.
She loves PEANUTS, sunflowers seeds, almonds, bananas, apples.
Thank you, EVERYONE, for continuing your search.
Last Seen: Grape Bay, Paget
If you are in the central Paget area, please have a look around. Wind is likely carrying her – she is not a strong flyer – since she never really learned to fly.
OZZY may be in Central Devonshire now!
PLEASE LISTEN TONIGHT between 5:30 and before sundown (please stop after sundown, because you can make her a target for predators – cats) … call out and wait for a response.
This afternoon, I got a report that someone saw a “large grey bird” (may be Ozzy) flying sideways and awkwardly into the rubber trees along the Brighton Hill farm along South South Road in Devonshire at 1:20pm. They did not hear any sounds though, and by the time I got the call and got down there … I heard and saw nothing.
Yesterday morning, in Grape Bay – the gentleman distinctly heard her say “Hi Ozzy” a few times, so she was definitely in Grape Bay yesterday…
Question is.. was that her near Brighton Hill? or is she hunkered down in Paget somewhere?
I have no idea, but I feel like I have scoured those Paget areas, as best i could without trespassing – and many residents are already on the look out in the area.
Until someone else hears her… I cannot confirm that it actual was her — but a “large grey bird, flying sideways”… does sound like her.
If it is her — this is great news – she has gotten over her fear of trees, and she may be trying to make her way back home (top of Tee Street).
Maybe she is making her way back home – i just hope she makes it!! Some people say parrots survive really well here…
But if that is true, you would think we would have a ton of parrots on the island. Why aren’t I seeing ANY parrots in my searches?
I believe they may live for a little while here – but they generally don’t thrive or survive.
I really hope she keeps fighting her way back..
Maybe it is no coincidence that Ozzy was named after the best “Survivor” player in history.
Please continue to SHARE and please call me immediately if you see or hear her…. 504-9282
Thank you soooo much to all the compassionate pet lovers out there!!
Ozzy.. SPOTTED MULTIPLE Times Wednesday, Oct 3rd Between Brighton Hill, Poinciana Estate and Gibbon Gardens.
2:00pm – large grey bird reportedly flying sideways and awkwardly over Brighton Hill south shore road farm and into a rubbertree (on the east side of the farm) ..
6:00pm – perched on something in a yard in Poinciana estates. She flew off in the direction of Lindo’s/Brighton Hill, after someone simply opened their door to inspect
LAST SEEN – at 7:15pm (already dark) – headed towards Gibbons Gardens.. seen flying over Brighton hill, across the street towards the gardens.
Good news is she is closer to home, but I hope she found shelter from the rain.
Please remember CALLING IS BETTER than mesaging.. Sometimes I don’t see the messages until too late. Please call the SECOND you hear or see her .. 5049282. (If you must message please use WhatsApp if you can).
If she hears my voice, over speakerphone, she may recognize it, and stick around while I have time to get there.
KEY INFO WHEN YOU SPOT THE BIRD -
Do not approach her. Let her come to you. Speak to her from afar. No sudden movements! Whistle a tune! Talk softly and calmly, like you would a baby. She understands basic words .. good girl, come here, it’s ok, sorry, yum yum, are you hungry?
Tell her “it’s ok” in a calm voice. From afar, show her that you have peanuts in your hand — you can pretend to eat them (almonds, nuts or a small piece of pealed banana will do)
Please do not try to catch her .. you may hurt her or she might fly off (or worse- BOTH – if she is wounded she will be in bigger trouble).
If she likes you.. she will step up on you hand.
MY SINCEREST THANK YOU:
I cannot express how grateful I am to you ALL for your overwhelming support! In my search, these last few evenings, I have run into several of my friends and family members running around searching for Ozzy .. I love you so much ❤️
AND I know there are so MANY more wonderful, complete strangers, who I may never get to a chance to personally thank… who have gone out of there way to help someone they didn’t know. It means so much. I want you to know I am humbled to tears by the outpouring of LOVE and support in helping me locate my feathered friend!
I have to find a way to pay this forward to so many!
Please SHARE – especially with friends you may know in those areas so they can listen for her tomorrow. Thank you
Ozzy.. SPOTTED MULTIPLE Times Wednesday, Oct 3rd Between Brighton Hill, Poinciana Estate and Gibbon Gardens.
2:00pm – large grey bird reportedly flying sideways and awkwardly over Brighton Hill south shore road farm and into a rubbertree (on the east side of the farm) ..
6:00pm – perched on something in a yard in Poinciana estates. She flew off in the direction of Lindo’s/Brighton Hill, after someone simply opened their door to inspect
LAST SEEN – at 7:15pm (already dark) – headed towards Gibbons Gardens.. seen flying over Brighton hill, across the street towards the gardens.
Good news is she is closer to home, but I hope she found shelter from the rain.
Please remember CALLING IS BETTER than mesaging.. Sometimes I don’t see the messages until too late. Please call the SECOND you hear or see her .. 5049282. (If you must message please use WhatsApp if you can).
If she hears my voice, over speakerphone, she may recognize it, and stick around while I have time to get there.
KEY INFO WHEN YOU SPOT THE BIRD -
Do not approach her. Let her come to you. Speak to her from afar. No sudden movements! Whistle a tune! Talk softly and calmly, like you would a baby. She understands basic words .. good girl, come here, it’s ok, sorry, yum yum, are you hungry?
Tell her “it’s ok” in a calm voice. From afar, show her that you have peanuts in your hand — you can pretend to eat them (almonds, nuts or a small piece of pealed banana will do)
Please do not try to catch her .. you may hurt her or she might fly off (or worse- BOTH – if she is wounded she will be in bigger trouble).
If she likes you.. she will step up on you hand.
MY SINCEREST THANK YOU:
I cannot express how grateful I am to you ALL for your overwhelming support! In my search, these last few evenings, I have run into several of my friends and family members running around searching for Ozzy .. I love you so much ❤️
AND I know there are so MANY more wonderful, complete strangers, who I may never get to a chance to personally thank… who have gone out of there way to help someone they didn’t know. It means so much. I want you to know I am humbled to tears by the outpouring of LOVE and support in helping me locate my feathered friend!
I have to find a way to pay this forward to so many!
Please SHARE – especially with friends you may know in those areas so they can listen for her in the morning. . Thank you
LOOK OUT FOR BIG GREY BIRD … OZZY .. flying precariously… she is having a hard time flying so you can really pick her out on the sky!
If anyone knows someone with a good LOOK OUT
OzZY .. Multiple sightings .. latest .. about than an hour ago .. (could be anywhere by now.. I got the message 40 minutes after the sighting) … circling The end of Botanical Garden near Tee Street … circling and circling… so close to home