UPDATE, Aug. 26, 3:30 p.m.
Ghennadii Vendiceanschii said they have gotten plenty of calls on their escaped budgie Grisha.
The pet was a birthday gift to his daughter from his parents earlier this month. But he said the bird got out of the cage as he was putting water in and flew off about two weeks ago.
"It's a sad story," he said. "It happens, but we are trying to catch it."
Thus far, he said the budgie has flown off before they can get to its location when a neighbour calls. But they are still hoping to reunite with their pet as soon as possible.
You can still reach the family at 416-893-6803.
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UPDATE, Aug. 24, 10:40 a.m.: The budgie owner has come forward and is hoping to recapture their bird.
The owner, who said the bird got out of a cage on Sunday, hopes someone in the neighbourhood can catch it or knows its current location.
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Newmarket resident Cindy Bomers was unsure what to do when a budgie suddenly appeared at one of her home’s bird feeders.
The yellow and green bird looked exhausted and hungry to her, partaking in the nourishment she provided to birds throughout the community. Believing it to be a lost pet, Bomers said it was not something that she had the equipment to handle.
“I was concerned. Obviously, it was someone’s bird that had escaped,” she said. “It stayed there most of the afternoon and stayed overnight. I think it was very hungry.”
Escaped birds are not uncommon in Ontario, with plenty of groups on social media dedicated to reuniting birds with their beloved owners.
Still, it is not something Bomers said she had encountered before at her bird feeders, usually used by sparrows.
The budgie “seemed to be OK with them,” she said. “It didn't seem to bother in any way at all.”
But the budgie and lost birds like it could be at risk. Local biologist Aileen Barclay said it happens all the time, and birds like that will struggle outside of the home.
“You need to find the owners, and they might be better able to catch it,” Barclay said. “It won’t last long in the ‘wild,’ and definitely not through the cold.”
Budgies are perhaps the most popular pet bird in the world, according to VCA Animal Hospitals, with escaped ones establishing themselves as an introduced population in Florida.
But the birds are vulnerable to predators, cold temperature and a lack of food. Bomers said the budgie has flown about but has returned to her feeders.
Although they feed visiting birds all the time, she said she is not equipped to take one in.
“We’ve never personally had a bird in a cage,” she said. “If we were to catch it, we don’t have anywhere to put it.”
She hopes that by spreading the word, the owner can reconnect with their lost bird. Her home is in the Gorham Street and Alexander Road area. She said it may be flying to other feeders in the area as well.
“I sure hope that we can find the owner, and it shows up again, and someone can come to catch it,” she said.
If you suspect this is your bird, you can reach out to [email protected].
