I lost Tui on 12th May 2008 due to a stupid mistake of insufficient knowledge. Posted this so that it may help others avoid the same result losing your pet parrot. There are links all over this profile for good parrot trainers – please use them and not some fancy website than makes you sign up for ‘free bird training’


    49 replies to "Tui parrot missing, flew away after bad advice from a birdtrick website"

    • Domenic Maiani

      Tui was a good bird and we could all tell you really loved her. We saw how
      you took care of her in your videos and are sorry about whats happened. We
      loved your videos and I have watched all of the videos after this. It must
      have been difficult to go back to new Zealand without her but you have to
      hope she found a new home with loving people. We will miss her and you must
      let her memory live in you forever.

    • Kim Truman

      I know how it feels to loose a bird. I was crying the whole time I was
      looking and calling out for her. Luckily, a nice lady was able to see her
      and she took my tiel to her home. I immediately posted posters and when the
      lady saw them she approached me. Then I started crying again this time
      tears of relief. One of the most terrifying moments of my life I must say.
      I pray that someone else found Tui and gave her a nice and loving home. 

    • one legged wonder gaming channel

      it’s not bird tricks that did you are told of the risks in big red writing
      at the end of all there videos and if you watch people that do this they do
      a lot more training with two people maybe 3 and in this video he did not
      look focus at all talking to your friend when trying to do something like
      this is stupid you need a hundred percent focus and hours of training so
      can’t put that on bird tricks as thay have helped me a lot if you do free
      flying never work with your best friend should buy another bird if u can
      and i believe a bird should have the right motivation if it does not it
      will fly away i don’t recommend free flight to anyone unless you’ve had
      professional advice from a trainer with you at the time your best option
      really is harness training when you see the great videos remember it’s
      years of work not months be safe with your birds 

    • BirdBlingByApril

      Sir, I bow to you.. You are amazing for what you did to warn people of the
      silly act of free flying. Thank you for building up the courage to post
      this <3 I know how it feels to loose a bird <3 

    • breckin curtis

      Heartbreaking! Sending love and prayers for comfort!

    • Christa Grant

      Just wondering if you ever found her? Birds can be found. 

    • Bird Life

      im sorry
      i prayed once for all birds in the world to have a loving and happy family
      before they died and im sure this happened to this amazing and beautiful
      Lucky bird shes had you and her life was the best by the minute you spied
      her god bless your bird and make sure its in a safe and happy place and
      that it comes back sorry again but you know NEVER lose hope my dog and bird
      ran away for 5 months and they both came back together,
      i had tears and was laughing cause my bird was on the back of my dog and i
      was just about to loose hope when this happened sorry again hope and
      prayers

    • Vladimir Zzz

      They are birds, no matter how you want them to be humans

    • ShadowVeranda

      Im sorry you lady your bird but you can’t blame BirdTricks. They, as
      trainers, always stress the risk you take with free flighting your birds.
      Michael from Parrot Wizard nearly lost his Cape parrot Truman because he
      did not properly listen to Trumans odd behavior when taking him out to a
      park (like they always do) Truman was lost for 2 days. Parrots are going to
      do what they want to do regardless of training. Most of the birds from the
      BirdTricks flock are performing birds, highly trained and disciplined.
      BirdTricks does not encourage free flight OUTSIDE without a harness but
      they do have training courses that teach you how to properly free flight
      with no less that 3 months of training. Again, im sry you lost your bird
      but as owners we take risks with our birds and we have no one to blame but
      ourselves. 

    • POTS POTTER

      Wise words of caution regarding giving parrots complete freedom. Our
      Eclectus, Jack, also flew away. Jack was very close to my husband & he had
      been out on his shoulder a couple of times. One day when my husband was at
      work, Jack got out of an open door & flew up onto the roof of our chalet. I
      got up on a chair & tried to get him to step up, but he flew up in the air
      & over the field, over a clump of trees & then I watched him fly out of
      sight! I was calling out “Jack” all the time – but he kept going. It was
      wonderful to see him fly free for the first time & I had no idea that he
      could carry on flying so far, but he did & was soon gone out of sight. I
      called him for three hours – praying all the time for him to come back. I
      also rang my husband who was 60 miles away – who came straight back &
      walked out looking for him. He went to the clump of trees which were over a
      mile away & called out “Jack!” Amazingly as he was walking he heard “Hello”
      – It was Jack! right up inside the top of the tree! My husband said “Come
      on”, but Jack did not fly down, so he parted the branches & pulled down the
      branch with Jack on & Jack stepped onto his shoulder, where he stayed all
      the way back to our chalet! As he walked by Jack let out a squawk & I
      nearly cried with relief to see him get onto his cage which I had put
      outside for his return! We were so fortunate to get him back & aim to get a
      harness, but wonder at 10 years old if he will allow us to put it on. We
      will try next summer :)

    • superwhiz88

      most bird will fly back ,, it will take few days when they can’t find food
      .. that happen to my peacock , parrot .. chicken.. pigeon ..

    • nancee Lowcarb

      Sorry for your loss. I even felt nervous watching her flights on your vid.
      Theres nothing anyone can really say to help, but I am SUPER grateful for
      your advice. Wishing you all the best.♡

    • ell ann

      After this video I was very upset because of your lost it is very sad to
      lose such a great parrot I wish you find her. Your videos with Tui are
      really amazing. Whatching Tui videos makes my day honestly. I am very sorry
      for you and for us.

    • Lisa Street

      I am so sorry for your loss. Please let us know if she is found.

    • NanoReefDude 14

      Sorry man.

    • Jessica Davies

      My heart goes out to you. I am in tears literall. I have only had my grey
      Bobby Joe/Larry for 3 months. He was a plucker biter and had severe cage
      aggression when I RESCUED him. He now has full feathers steps up and told
      me his name is Larry. I am his 3rd owner and his forever home. He is still
      mean to the children. Do you have any words of wisdom? His original owner
      died of COPD so he wheezes and coughs but he is young and healthy. What can
      I do to help him stop the cough or can I? I tell him “bless you & stop it u
      are fine”. He mainly does this when he wants attention. I clip him so he
      can be outdoors without worries he flew off once when I had first got him
      and it scared me half to death. Someone said they will come back and he
      did. I also have a molluccan cockatoo. I clip Tinkerbell as well BC we go
      on walks often. I only recently found out about harnesses. Tink is a
      squawker and very jelouse of Larry. Yet Larry is a bully tho Tink is much
      larger. I won’t go on any longer my feelings were crushed when I watched
      this I am a new subscriber to you. I am going to watch more of your videos
      for tips. Thank you for sharing. :'(

    • Chris Logan

      I cried when I saw your video. Sending mental hugs.

    • Mary Nightingale

      Aw love, Tui might just surprise you and come home. Regardless of that, you
      had a fantastic bond with Tui, and some great footage. <3

    • Petlover567

      Did you get her back

    • Deb B

      My heart goes out to you. I’d be devastated if I lost my boy. He’s been my
      constant companion now for 24 years. Rarely flies in the house, most always
      just walks around. I won’t be sending him out to fly. Thank you.

    • Antoinette Van Hoeven

      I am so sorry for your loss. I just adopted an 11 year old Timneh African
      Grey and am in the process of training him to assist in pet therapy for my
      disabled son. I hope you find it in your heart to adopt another bird in
      need because clearly you were an amazing father to Tui.

    • lisa nguyen

      🙁 I hope you find Tui 

    • Nikki T

      I am so sorry you lost you baby. She was a sweet love. Maybe someone will
      catch her and bring her back into your life

    • Zuniga Eduardo

      I Feel You My Brother…

    • Larry C,

      where do you think the term “BIRD BRAIN” comes from….duh

    • Laurie Smith

      I work with Mickaboo Companion Bird Rescue and we have people in our group
      that help find lost birds. We don’t find them all and some of them are
      never heard from again however a lot of them are found and turned over to
      us and other rescues. I sincerely hope that is the case here for Tui! God
      bless you both and thank you for posting your experience for others to
      learn from (if they will), So sorry.- Laurie

    • debbur1

      I am so sorry to read about your loss. I have 2 bare eyed cockatoos who are
      free flighted. They can spook and take off even if they usually stay with
      me outside. My birds have learned by hard experience to scan the sky for
      hawks. Maybe with practice, they can learn to negotiate strong wind
      currents. But I seldom take my birds outside. Microchipping might help, but
      strangers don’t always return birds. And I can’t stand the heartbreak. (My
      bird was injured and hiding in a tree for over a day.) A ride in the car
      around the block is a big enough adventure.

      Tui is such a smart and social bird, I am sure that she has adopted a human
      and she is having a good life.

    • Harley Rector

      Sorry.

    • Krustynicks

      I am waiting for my african grey to arrive, I was watching your videos and
      got to this one. How sad you lost her. I have a friend with 3 macaws and
      they do go out and come back. I can’t believe no one found her, I’m really
      sorry 

    • Angela Hylton

      I’m so sorry.. xoxox :'( 

    • hersheebaby18

      im so sorry for your loss! :'(

    • Dave Cunningham

      Buddy I know this was a few years ago but I’m gutted for you.

    • XGenerationxGamingX

      did tui ever come back, is an african grey like a dog and find the scent
      from the way it flew? sorry i have an african grey and i never let it
      outside for this fear.

    • Ally Wentzel

      So sad. So sorry 🙁
      I have lost a parrot too. It’s not easy seagoing with losing a bird that
      flies away

    • alicia madrid

      I watched all your videos…and finally reached this one 🙁 I’m so
      sorry…..

    • jbahm112

      I’m truly sorry for your loss mate

    • chosenguy86

      Sorry to hear that man. Tui is an awesome bird.

    • Lauren70B

      I really hope you have found her or she is alright 🙁

    • sifrmsctln

      Not to be cruel spirited towards the uploader, but I feel strongly that
      birds are healthier and happier when they are allowed to do what nature
      intended. You did several things wrong. You rushed to outdoor free flight
      with one of the most nervous breeds of parrot, in city environment in high
      winds…… this isn’t the failure of free flighters, it’s your failure to
      not do it with the necessary acclimation time or in the right
      environment(ever) for any bird much less a Gray.

    • Parrot Earth

      So Sorry! Can’t even imagine, and thank you for sharing.

    • firebreath98

      I am really sorry tht tui flew away and i hope that all those who wrote
      those stupid comments stop and have a little respect u guys arent funny at
      all im sorry for tui and i know that all parrot woud want u as a dad

    • MsFoggo

      Our pink and grey galah took fright and flew out the back door, which was
      just closing. Got taken by a gust of wind and flew out of sight. The family
      is so sad, we always thought he would come straight back to us if he ever
      got out. We just want to know what happened to him. We feel so helpless to
      find him, hoping and praying somebody kind has him. So sorry for Tui and
      all the other lost birds out there. 🙁

    • prepperchickie

      so sorry

    • codwawx NA

      we have a investigating team to find your parrot if your interested

    • HeratyIRN

      My African grey flew away today:( we are all so distraught and we will not
      give up until we find him!

    • ShebaTheLoneWolfie

      Im so so sorry!Even though I just got my macaw 5 days ago if anything
      happened to him I think I would kill myself!I can’t even describe how upset
      I am right now.Im just so sorry!

    • Charlotte Spalding

      hey dude i’m so sorry about tui 🙁

    • polly dolly

      aww this made me cry:( did u get another? i noticed it was posted years
      ago, i have a grey also very intelligent but easily spooke, mine doesnt
      like big toys as i discovered after spending 80 quid on new stuff lol hope
      ur ok now:)

    • flychomperfly

      oh, so very sorry. no, the pain doesn’t ever go away…it just gets much
      less and much more bearable. but you will always have a hole in your heart.
      keep your memories close and be confident that your bird is happy in
      another home–that’s what usually happens to the larger birds if they are
      flighted. you should also go on some forums and learn how to train a pet
      bird for recall in case they do happen to get outside. if they have good
      recall training, they will return.

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