Hi! I read about another family loosing their cockatiel,Fatso,and getting him back. I have a similar story. The door was open for my husband to go out in his wheelchair. I always clip my bird's wings, but I allowed Chip to keep hers so that she could fly away from my cat. She had a wing broken in the past. She was on my caregiver's shoulder and saw the door open. She flew. I heard her for weeks in the trees across from my house. I was so worried that she would starve to death, it would be too cold and she would die from the elements (it was October in PA), something would eat her, she would be hurt with no vet care and die. I was so upset. It wasn't the caregiver's fault. My husband felt horrible. I went on a good 2 months always wondering where she was. I owned a business at the time. My husband and I were leaving when this man pulled into the lot; he stopped us and said he had some news for me. All I ever get is bad news so I said,"If it's bad news, just don't tell me". His mother (200 miles away) had my Chipper bird at her house. He said she fell in love with her. Chip was a very loving bird. I hated to take her from the woman but I wanted her back. As soon as she saw my husband, she started her little love noises she always gave him. It was Chip, no doubts. We called her boomerang bird. She got out the first time because I was ignorant about trimming wings. The second time she flew off my shoulder when I was cleaning windows. My husband was running the power saw and she freaked. The third time I can't remember anymore what happened. From then on, she had wing trims. She lived to the age of 20. It has been 5 years since she passed.

barb martz
DU BOIS, PA