You may have seen it on our Facebook page: Bili Sigmon's beloved cockatoo of 32 years, Tolkien, flew away from her home on East 59th Street last week
Sigmon got the call she had been waiting for on Monday morning. The call told her where to meet a landlord near her home to get Tolkien back.
"Hi! Come to me," Sigmon said with joy. "Oh my goodness! Where have you been? Where have you been? You ready to go home?" she questioned the white bird as she cradled him against her.
Tolkien laid his head on the neck of his owner, appearing to show relief to be returned to someone he's familiar with.
"I mean I'm bonded to this bird. I am his, I am his other half just as much as he is mine," she said quite frankly.
Tolkien had no problem hopping in the cage after his five-day adventure.
Sigmon explained he nipped her on the cheek several days ago before flying away from her.
"When he did, I jumped and he went over the roof and that was the end of that," she said.
The cockatoo was spotted several times, with people posting videos of the wayward bird as he flew around his neighborhood.
Sigmon said the wilds of Savannah are not the same as a cockatoo's native land, but Tolkien was no bird brain about his situation.
"We had storms. We got chased by hawks. He's the predator in Australia, but here he was pretty smart," she said.
"He was hiding in Magnolia trees, so unless he moved, you really didn't know him from a Magnolia unless he threw stuff at you or made noise," Sigmon continued as her bird squawked in the background.
Tolkien was found four blocks, less than a half mile, from his home.
Sigmon said getting the call that her pet was safe was like Christmas in June. She was especially thankful for a lady named Santa Conn, who let Sigmon onto her rental property to retrieve the bird.
"It's very heartwarming. You don't see a lot of people who get their pets back," Conn said.
"She's made my year!" said Sigmon.
Tolkien has been seen by a vet. Sigmon said the doctor gives the bird a thumbs up, but plans for a more extensive examination in the coming days.