“I can’t understand how anyone could bring themselves to do something so awful to an innocent creature,” Gibson said.
Mr Bird didn’t live the typical life of a domestic bird, she recalled, and was allowed to fly freely around her property and to some of the neighbouring houses.
This began during the Covid-19 lockdown years when the bird, which had previously had his wings clipped, “suddenly decided he could fly” after Gibson brought him out to the garden on her shoulder.
Gibson said Mr Bird had a “large vocabulary” and would fly to the neighbour’s homes and ask, “What are they doing?” and tell them, “Good morning and night.”
“He’d always be home a lot during the day, but he would just venture out a few times and, you know, for a little while, and then he’d come back.”
She said he was a beloved member of the community and many neighbours looked forward to their daily visits.
There was one neighbour who once trapped the bird and attempted to report Gibson and Mr Bird to the Ministry for Primary Industries, she said. After that scare, Gobson messaged authorities herself to ensure letting Mr Bird fly free was legal.
After Gibson posted to Facebook about the incident on a local community page, the post was flooded with more than 200 comments farewelling the neighbourhood character.
“It always made me smile seeing and hearing your lovely bird,” one person wrote.
“This little guy would fly over singing away to himself and the other birds, was lovely to say hi and hear his happy noises, I’ll miss his visits,” another said.
Neighbours were also concerned for the safety of their own pets and even themselves after the shooting.
“It is very disturbing, what’s next? Cats or dogs?” one fearful resident commented.
Rachel Maher is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. She has worked for the Herald since 2022.
