Stupid Terrible Mistake

[Sam1976]

I made such a stupid mistake. I opened the door with my beautiful eclectus Brian on my shoulder like I have done a million times before. His wings are clipped but he was startled by something and I can't find him.

I feel so heartbroken, guilty and stupid. We live on a large property and he left my shoulder at my shoulder level and appeared to make it into a paddock full of deep grass. This was just as it was getting dark last night. I hunted and called till I couldn't see.

I was out at first light and I can't find or hear him. I had a guy come out with a flir camera and nothing. I think I may have killed him or he flew further then I ever expected.

I miss him so much and feel so useless.

I'm sorry Brian and I love you xxxx

[liz]

Don't give up on him. If he cannot fly and is in deep grass he is trying to walk his way out. Keep calling and search behind every blade of grass. He is scared. Your voice is the only way he will find his direction.
Think of it as loosing a two year old kid in the mall. It seems impossible to find her because the mall is so big and has so many little places she could be.
Even if she could fly she would not be able to from tall grass.

Did you see what area she landed in. If it was me I would be cutting a path through the grass step by step until I had a walk way to go on and call her. She could be in any direction right now.
I am so sorry to say this to you since you are already so upset but you are all she has and she is scared. You can't accept that she is lost. She is just out of your sight.

[Wolf]

Don't give up so easily. He can survive for a few days but other than predators his biggest problem right now is water. He is alone and afraid so he is unlikely to call out as this may call a predator to him. Slowly and carefully walk out to the area that he landed and start your search, look in tall grass and in bushes as he may have climbed into one of them to get off of the ground. Do call for him just in case he will answer. If you have any recordings of him calling to you from an earlier period play it as a call to him as well but don't forget to listen very closely for him. Birds are very hard to see when they are trying to hide. With his being clipped I don't think that he would get very far.

I don't know if he is large enough to register on the flir camera, but please don't give up and keep searching and ask friends to help and tell them to be careful of where they place their feet while searching.

[Pajarita]

He most likely is exactly where he landed because ekkies freeze when scared, they don't move, they don't walk and they don't call out so go back there, get down on your hands and knees and look for him until you find him because 99.99% he is still there.

[Sam1976]

He's not there. I had a guy come out with a flir camera, the ones police use to find people and he's definitely not in the grass. It could see all the way to the ground. The camera found pigeons and sparrows so either he flew a lot further or he died. I haven't heard a peep from him since our disaster. I have filled the area with lost posters.
Believe me I have searched the grass a much as humanely possible but it's about 2 feet deep which is why I got the camera guy round. He was able to check the further paddocks as well.

I wish I could turn back time

[Wolf]

When Kookooloo flew away, I searched the area repeatedly before I was able to find her in a spot that I had looked in several times. I would not give up so easily, you are the only thing between her life and death. I would not stop until I have her body dead or alive or enough feather to know that she was eaten, but that is me.

[Sam1976]

I was right and the camera definitely worked. The little bugger had gone in the opposite direction and was found in someone's garden this morning.

I have decided that I hate long grass and my hubby can spend the weekend trying to mow it.

[Chantilly]

I am so happy that he was found and that you two were reunited!

[Wolf]

I am so happy to learn that you have recovered your bird, Brian. Thanks for not giving up on him. Yay !

[liz]

YAY you got your baby back. If he was flighted he may have been able to make it back on his own.