01/14/2025
Byrd is having a midlife crisis.
No, but—actually, he really is. Byrd is a 40-year-old Cockatoo, and up until recently, he had lived his entire life in the same home. Sadly, life took a turn when his owners needed to move into an assisted living facility. They were no longer able to care for Byrd, and as much as it broke their hearts, they had to make the difficult decision to surrender him to us.
This was a big disruption for a bird who had known nothing but the comfort of his familiar surroundings for four decades. Byrd became incredibly stressed and, as a result, started overpreening. For a bird, overpreening means pulling out feathers—lots and lots of feathers. His entire chest and most of his inner wings were completely bare. That's a rough look, especially for a bird who has prided himself on his lovely plumage!
When Byrd was surrendered to us, he was in a tough spot. Anxiety had taken its toll on him, and it made him a bit grumpy and, well… a little feisty. If you've ever been hissed at by a Cockatoo, let's just say it's an experience you won't forget anytime soon. But we didn't hold that against him. Byrd was simply going through a hard time, and he needed a place to calm down, recover, and figure out who he was in this new phase of his life.
At first, Byrd wasn't really ready to interact with others. So, he lived in our behavior and population manager's office. This gave our behavior team the time and space to build a bond with him. Slowly but surely, Byrd began to trust them. He even allowed them to pet him—on his terms, of course! A little snuggle here, a gentle scratch there. Byrd was starting to come around, and as he did, his stress level decreased.
But as much as we loved seeing Byrd get more comfortable, he still needed a lot more help. So, we contacted a transfer partner specializing in avian behavior and care. Byrd headed to their facility this week, where he'll continue working through his behaviors with their team. They'll give him the love and attention he needs, and, fingers crossed, he'll eventually find a new family to call his own.
Not every Happy Tail ends with adoption, and that's okay. Sometimes, the best thing we can do for an animal is to give them the resources they need to heal and grow, and sometimes, that means sending them to a partner organization where they can get specialized care. We're incredibly grateful for our transfer partners, who step in to help animals who need a little extra love and attention. Byrd's journey isn't over, but we're glad we could help him get the care he needs to thrive.
