MACAW’S PLUCKY ODYSSEY
AFTER an adventurous macaw escaped from her Gold Coast home 18 months ago, her owner had almost given up on seeing her again.
But a recent phone call changed all that.
Yesterday, the mischievous blue and gold macaw was returned safe and sound – via plane – to the Gold Coast breeder’s property.
The breeder, who declined to be named, said the bird escaped from a neighbour’s house while he had been on holiday.
He said he was surprised when he received a phone call from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources saying the bird had been found on the tarmac at Sydney Airport more than a year later.
“The bird returning is a wonderful thing ... it’s a Lassie story,” he said.
“There were a few reports of birds in yards, but after a few weeks we stopped searching.”
The macaw had travelled nearly 900km from the Coast to Sydney.
The breeder said the female macaw had been tracked back to him through her leg ring.
He said he needed to supply information, including a DNA test, before the department released the bird to him. He also arranged the return flight.
A spokesman said it was the first time the department had experienced such a case, adding airport staff found the bird quite easy to catch and manage.
Head of biosecurity operations Nico Padovan said the macaw was initially quarantined to ensure it posed no health risk to other wildlife.
“Initial signs pointed to this being an Australian bird that did not threaten our birdlife and our enviable health status,” he said.
“Once this was confirmed, it and was transferred to the RSPCA.”
Pet macaws can fetch prices up to $4500.