An African grey pet parrot missing in Kamloops.

Image Credit: SUBMITTED/ Hayle Guest

A parrot is lost and its Kamloops owners are devastated, having spent hours searching their Westsyde neighbourhood and beyond.

The African grey parrot called Lilly belongs to the Guest family and helps one of the family members cope with PTSD.

“My dad is not is doing well without her,” Hayle Guest today iNFOnews.ca today, May 9. “It’s been a heartbreaking rollercoaster but we won’t stop searching.”

The parrot has been missing since late afternoon on May 6 when the family was taking the dog out. The bird slipped out the open door and went to land on a shoulder but got spooked by something and flew away into the neighbourhood around The Dunes golf club.

“It’s really frustrating as we were taking her into get her flight wings clipped that same day,” Guest said.

Despite the family calling the bird back, it didn’t return.

“We suspect someone has her because normally she’d come right back,” Guest said. “She’s food motivated and would come for her favourite food. It’s strange she isn’t back.”

READ MORE: Big horned owlet gets new, protective mom at BC Wildlife Park in Kamloops

The family took the bird in a few years ago from an owner who couldn’t keep it any longer and it has never escaped or been outside for more than a few minutes before. Guest said the bird won’t know how to survive in the wild and is a target for predators.

“Owls and hawks can eat her,” she said. “She’s trusting and has been around cats and dogs, basically anyone and everything could be a predator for her. They’re from the Amazon rain forest, they need heat, if temperatures drop she could get sick.”

READ MORE: iN VIDEO: Another look at Kamloops bear cub rescue

The family is hoping residents will keep an eye open for the bird and hasn’t received any clues since putting the request for help on social media and calling around to local vets. It is light grey in colour with red wing tips and a black beak, and about a foot tall in size.

“She is super friendly, she talks quite a bit is very outgoing,” Guest said. “We really miss her and appreciate any help.”

If you have clues on the whereabouts of Guest’s parrot, connect with her here.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Shannon Ainslie or call 250-819-6089 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.

We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above. 

News from © iNFOnews, 2023