JUST A MITE TOO COCKY DRENCHED DEBBIE RULES THE ROOST
A BEWILDERED Airlie Beach cockatoo saved from certain death during Cyclone Debbie is alive and well.
The drenched and exhausted bush cocky was picked up by Townsville Bulletin photographer Alix Sweeney after it was discovered by Airlie Beach motel owner Lyn Boal while out walking her dogs during the passing of the cyclonic “eye”.
Ms Sweeney’s striking image of the fretting bird trying to shelter from Cyclone Debbie’s fury on Tuesday made headlines across Australia and around the world.
The cocky, now called Debbie, took up residence in my room where she proceeded to try to bite me every time I came within beak range.
She got a hit in at 5.45pm yesterday ( and yes, it hurt).
She is not house trained and makes a mess on the floor and plays with her food.
I have discovered, when cleaning it off the floor, that cockatoo poo has the consistency of axle grease.
Debbie is surviving on a post- cyclone diet of Salada biscuits and sunflower seeds provided by Ms Boal.
Debbie, just like Sam the koala pictured drinking from a firefighter’s helmet during the 2009 Victorian bushfires, has become a celebrity.
She is oblivious to her fame and has no inkling what was said about her yesterday when Ms Sweeney did interview after interview with media organisations about the “cyclonic cockatoo”.
Debbie was near death when Ms Sweeney brought her in. Ms Boal found a box to put her in and some towels to keep her warm.
It was then a case of seeing if this near lifeless bird would live another day.
During the night, just after the passing of the cyclone but still with heavy rain pounding down, I was woken up by the sound of a cockatoo calling out.
“What would a cockatoo be doing flying around at night in this weather?”
And then it dawned on me that it was Debbie – she had rallied and might actually pull through her ordeal. She didn’t shut- up. By morning she was up and about and looking for someone to bite.
Apart from that, DebbieD bbi was making herself at home, walking around my room like she owned the place and even climbing the screen security door.
Ms Sweeney and others have made efforts to find a wildlife carer for her, but due to widespread flooding in the Whitsunday area none could be located who could drive to Airlie Beach to pick her up.
Late yesterday afternoon a carer was found. The carer will be here this morning to take Debbie away.
Good luck, Debbie.