What are the chances that an escaped pet bird would end up at the bird feeder of the local humane society’s CEO? Probably about one in a million.

Picasso, a 5-year-old female cinnamon pearl cockatiel, accidentally flew away from her home in Ypsilanti, Michigan last month. After nearly five days, she was found in the nearby city of Ann Arbor by Tanya Hilgendorf, President and CEO of the Humane Society of Huron Valley.

Picasso’s owner, Tiffany Neikart, informed YSL News that the bird escaped while she was letting one of her dogs outside. Something outside caught Picasso’s attention, startling her and causing her to fly “up and out” when the door was open.

“She was startled by something outside, which distracted her enough to fly up and out,” Neikart explained. “She had never been near that door because I had spent so much time training her on recall.”

Neikart mentioned that Picasso had never been outside and was quite good at returning when called. However, “she had never been called back from outside,” she added, noting that the bird did not respond when she called for her.

Remaining calm, Neikart called to the bird, which responded by making her usual sound when called. Unfortunately, she did not return to the ground but continued to circle the backyard while chirping.

In a panic

“It was as if she was in a panic,” Neikart shared. “She was hearing traffic, cars, other birds, and many new noises that she normally doesn’t hear indoors. I think that overwhelmed her.”

Despite Picasso circling the yard, Neikart noted that she did not try to perch on the roof or the nearby trees, as birds typically do. All attempts to bring her down—including using her cage as a lure—failed as Picasso flew higher and moved toward a busy road.

Neikart got into her car, followed Picasso, and kept calling her, but the bird wouldn’t listen and eventually headed toward Ann Arbor. At that moment, Neikart feared she may have lost her cherished pet for good.

Loss of hope

“That night, I continued to search, playing cockatiel sounds in the hopes that she might respond,” Neikart recalled, but to no avail. “I couldn’t hear anything.”

The following morning, Neikart took swift action to find Picasso. She thoroughly searched the surrounding areas, shouted for the bird, “posted everywhere on Facebook,” contacted local veterinarians and shelters, and put up flyers, desperately hoping someone would see Picasso and reach out.

“By the second or third day, my hope was fading fast,” Neikart said, explaining that Picasso was a tiny bird weighing just 100 grams and was gray in color, making her less visible compared to more colorful birds. Due to her size, she also couldn’t be microchipped.

By day four, Neikart even ordered a tombstone for Picasso, convinced that she was gone.

“I believed she was lost,” Neikart expressed. “I had started to mourn her. How could that little bird survive? She had no experience outdoors. There are large birds and cars everywhere. How could she possibly make it?”

Picasso seen in Ann Arbor

When all seemed lost, on the fifth day, Neikart received a call from Hilgendorf, informing her that Picasso had been spotted at a birdfeeder outside her home in Ann Arbor. Hilgendorf shared that she had just gotten home from work when she was “startled by a loud, unusual sound coming from” her bird feeder.

“I looked out the kitchen window, where our bird feeder is, and saw my cats staring out with a mix of confusion and surprise,” Hilgendorf recounted. “I realized immediately that she must belong to someone.”

Concerned that she might fly away, I quickly snapped some photos and shared them on the Nextdoor app, thinking she had just escaped and lived nearby.

Hilgendorf mentioned that she and a humane society field officer attempted to capture Picasso but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile, she continued to monitor the Nextdoor app for any replies.

“Then I remembered to look at HSHV’s Lost and Found page,” Hilgendorf recounted. “I thought it was a long shot, believing Picasso was just nearby. To my surprise, there she was right at the top of the lost ‘other domestics’ page. It said she was from Ypsilanti, and the post was several days old, but I recognized her immediately. She is undeniably beautiful.”

It turned out that Neikart had posted Picasso’s information on the humane society’s Lost and Found page as suggested by Wendy, their Marketing and Communications Director, who had seen one of Neikart’s many Facebook posts.

‘Holding my breath’

Minutes after connecting with Neikart, she hopped into her car, loaded with Picasso’s favorite treats, and headed to Hilgendorf’s home, her heart racing and phoning her husband to come along.

“I was trembling the entire way,” Neikart shared. “I was holding my breath thinking, ‘What if she’s gone by the time I arrive?’ or ‘What if she flies away?’”

Fortunately, Picasso was still in Hilgendorf’s backyard when Neikart got there.

“I arrived and spotted her. I thought, ‘Oh my God, there she is.’ I offered her a millet seed, and she flew to a streetlight, perched there, and stared at me,” Neikart described. “I then took out a bag of cheese and scattered it on the ground, hoping that if I stepped back, she would see the treats and come down to eat.”

After placing the cheese, which is Picasso’s favorite snack, on the ground, Neikart stepped away and played sounds of cockatiels from her husband’s suggestion. The strategy proved effective as Picasso flew toward a nearby tree before eventually landing on Neikart’s shoulder.

“I held the treat just above my shoulder,” Neikart explained. “Then I walked slowly to the car, careful not to make any sudden movements that might startle her.”

Neikart’s husband continued playing the cockatiel sounds on his phone, keeping it close to Picasso as they approached the car. Once Neikart settled in the car with Picasso, her husband quickly shut the door, and that’s when Neikart finally exhaled with relief.

“It’s been wild,” Neikart expressed. “I never thought I would see her again.”

Picasso has laid three eggs since returning

While Neikart is overjoyed to have her cherished pet back home, she can’t help but wonder what Picasso experienced while she was away.

“I wish we had a little camera to see what she did during those days,” Neikart mused. “Where did she find drinks? What kind of food did she eat? When she returned, she was jumping up on our plates trying to swipe food, which added a more wild side to her.”

In fact, Neikart mentioned that since returning, Picasso laid three eggs and has been brooding over them, leading Neikart to speculate whether Picasso had spent time in a nest. In her whole life, Picasso had only previously laid two eggs. Neikart thinks the new eggs may be due to the extra sunlight and possibly less healthy food Picasso might have found while outside.

Neikart is still amazed that the small bird managed to cover nearly seven miles across one of Michigan’s main highways, U.S. 23, and through the Huron River.

“Our town is nicknamed ‘Tree Town,'” Neikart noted. “Just picture all the trees and wildlife in this area, and my little bird was out there living among them.”

‘No average bird’

Neikart acquired Picasso from a breeder in Detroit and chose her because she stood out with her unique white pearl-like spots on her feathers.

“I found her so beautiful,” Neikart commented. “She has always been one of a kind.”

Having worked as a registered behaviorist for six years, Neikart trained Picasso to use a tablet to request treats or interact with different bird sounds.

“One of her daily routines is asking Google to play bird sounds or cockatiel tunes,” Neikart reported. “Picasso isn’t just any bird; I’ve trained her to communicate using a tablet.”

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for YSL News. You can follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.