Brightly Colored Bird Reunited With Texas Owners After 5 Years

Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) recently became the unexpected landing spot for a long-lost pet, leading to a heartwarming reunion five years in the making.

An Unusual Call

Corporal Brandon Dominic, who patrols the OCCC campus, said he’s used to handling incidents like car accidents or missing items. But a recent call was unlike anything he’d experienced.

"I got there, and I thought it was going to be just a crow or a pigeon," Dominic said. "As we get there, everyone parts way, and there is this little brightly colored bird sitting there."

The bird—a cinnamon green-cheek conure—didn’t try to fly away when approached. "It liked people; it would just hang around, it would let you pet it," Dominic said.

The friendly bird was transported, perched on a student’s shoulder, to Schrag Animal Clinic. There, veterinarian Susan McLaughlin began piecing together its story.

A Long-Awaited Reunion

McLaughlin quickly identified the bird’s origins thanks to a leg band. Within 30 minutes, she had contacted the breeder and, ultimately, the bird’s owner.

"They assumed, ‘Well, it’s lost,’" McLaughlin said. "They were super excited—they still had the cage and its accessories."

The owners, who live in Sherman, Texas, immediately made the two-and-a-half-hour drive to reclaim their feathered friend, which had escaped during a birthday party five years ago.

"Losing it months after getting it was heartbreaking," said Stephanie, the bird’s owner. "But now, our lifelong feathered friend is home."

McLaughlin said the reunion highlighted the emotional bond bird owners share with their pets. "The bird community knows how everyone feels about their birds, and they live so long that they’re a lifelong investment."

As for Corporal Dominic, his coworkers ensured he wouldn’t forget this unusual call. They even 3D-printed a trophy to commemorate his efforts in reuniting the bird with its family.

McLaughlin hopes for a national registry for lost birds to make future reunions quicker.