CHARLOTTETOWN, P.E.I. - A budgie that busted loose from its home has caused quite a little stir in Charlottetown.
Several interested people have played a role in the small bird’s adventure.
Joe Bradley was likely the first human contact for the budgie, dubbed Duvar, since the budrerigar escaped its home.
Bradley sprang into action after the bird was spotted last Thursday night around 6:30 p.m., sitting on a rail of the back steps outside Duvar Court, a seniors apartment complex in the capital city.
Bradley ventured outside looking to bring the bird in from the cold.
After Duvar rejected Bradley’s finger that was offered as a possible perch, Bradley gently picked up the bird and retreated to the warmth of the apartment building.
“I was surprised,’’ Bradley says of the budgie encounter.
“It was so cold out.’’
Now he is hopeful Duvar will survive and be reunited with its owner.
“I’m sure someone is looking for it,’’ he says. “It’s a house pet for sure.’’
A budgie, in fact, is the most popular pet bird by far, according to petland.ca. A type of parakeet, budgies are native to Australia and have been domestically bred since the 1800s.
If Duvar is to make its way to its home cage, the route will be somewhat adventurous.
After Bradley rescued the bird from falling prey to the inclement weather, Duvar was placed in the care of Bradley’s neighbour Jackie Jenkins, who owns 14 birds of her own, mostly cockatiels, but also some Rosy Bourkes.
“He ate like crazy,’’ Jenkins says of Duvar’s short stop in her bird sanctuary.
“He was quite alert…but then he started to list a little.’’
Jenkins believes the budgie could not have been outside for more than a couple of hours or it would have perished.
Jenkins has since passed the budgie on to Donald Weeks, who owns a number of birds as well.
Weeks reports Duvar is doing great now and is quite active.
Weeks is putting out a birdcall to the budgie’s owner to get in touch and reclaim the pet. He can be reached by email at [email protected].
Jean MacLean, a newspaper carrier with The Guardian, brought the story to the paper’s attention.
She has been well perched to follow Duvar’s progress.
“Everyone was so concerned,’’ she notes.
“It was just so sweet.’’
MacLean regularly spreads special seed for red-winged blackbirds at the Legacy Garden located behind the Farm Centre.
She has been heartened seeing the budgie saved.
“The poor little guy,’’ she adds of Duvar’s recent misadventure.
