Recently, on a hot day on Long Island, New York, a Good Samaritan was driving through a parking lot when they found someone they never expected — a beautiful green bird who couldn’t fly.
The bird was a wild quaker parrot, also known as a monk parakeet,
a vibrant species native to South America. According to NBC New York, the birds settled on Long Island in the 1960s, “when it is believed they escaped a damaged shipping crate at JFK Airport,” and they’ve been around ever since.
The little bird was sitting in the shadow of a tree nearby, perhaps trying to stay out of the sun. The driver noticed other parrots who seemed to be waiting for their friend in the branches above. In need of expert help, they contacted local animal rescuer John Debacker, who headed straight over.
At first, Debacker wasn’t sure if he needed to intervene. But given the Fourth of July holiday, he decided to err on the side of caution.
“I was debating on if he actually needed help,” Debacker told The Dodo. “But with Fourth of July fireworks starting in just a few hours, I made the call to get him checked out.”
Debacker gently plucked the bird off the ground and took him back to his car.
“He was trying to get away from me a few times, which is understandable,” Debacker said. “But he calmed down quickly.”
Debacker brought the parrot to Maria, a bird expert, who examined him and set up a safe place for him to recuperate.
Today, the parrot remains in Maria’s care, getting stronger every day.
Thanks to Debacker and Maria's help, this bird will get a second chance at life in the wild with fellow parrots. According to All About Birds, quaker parrots are extremely social, and they live together "year-round in large, multifamily stick nests built in trees and on power poles." Once he's ready, this parrot will be back in the home he knows best.
“His name is Oliver,” Maria told The Dodo. “He’s doing great.”
