A tea-drinking parrot that spent two days lost in the open recovers with a cuppa after an entire community helped with the search to find her.
Archie, an African grey female parrot, went missing after unexpectedly flying off of the shoulder of owner Yvonne Bryant.
A massive search was launched involving dozens of residents at the retirement village where the pair live.
Posters were printed off, appeals were posted on social media and even two drones were flown in a desperate bid to find Archie.
After almost two days missing, a resident of Leigh, near Wimborne, heard a human-like whistling from a tree in her back garden.
She called Yvonne who rushed to the property half-a-mile away. She couldn't see the grey bird due to the tree canopy but had a whistling conversation with her which confirmed it was Archie.
The 58-year-old then successfully lured her pet from the tree by calling to her and shaking a packet of crisps.
Thankfully Archie, who is aged 21, was unhurt by her adventure but was dehydrated and hungry. The parched parrot perked up after a cup of tea.
Yvonne said: "I am so relieved to get Archie back. Everyone was worried about her and so many people helped with the search.
"She was definitely happier after a cup of tea.
"She has liked tea for years. One day she was sat on my shoulder and stuck her head into my cup and started drinking it. We have Yorkshire Tea so she drinks that and has a cup for breakfast."
Yvonne is the housing manager at Charles Keightley Court, an independent living scheme for over 55s.
She has had Archie for 19 years and says her beloved pet is hugely popular with residents at the apartment complex.
The parrot was believed to be a boy and already named Archie when Yvonne rescued her at two-years-old. She didn't realise she was female until she started laying eggs several years later.
Archie started behaving oddly on Tuesday.
Yvonne, a grandmother of three, believes it could be linked to her breeding behaviours.
She flew off on Tuesday evening while Yvonne was walking outside from the communal lounge to her office.
Yvonne, her family members and residents immediately started looking for her. The hunt resumed at 5am on Wednesday with search parties travelling as far as the neighbouring village of Corfe Mullen.
Yvonne said: "I've been the housing manager here for about ten years. Archie has a cage in the office and one in my home. But she also comes round the site with me, she normally cuddles into my shoulder.
"We were in the communal lounge and she scrambled to get away from me and fly off. She was determined she was getting away.
"She's never flown off before. I take her out with me all the time. She has a special parrot backpack she can sit in, she goes in the car, she even goes on holiday with us.
"She's a real character and so popular with the residents. She sings, talks and whistles. She'll do wolf whistles and imitate phone rings or supermarket delivery vans reversing.
"It's not like a normal housing association court, it's like a family. We all know each other's animals.
"All the residents were out looking for Archie straight away. My son came over and set up search lights.
"One of my residents went down to the river to fly his drone to have a look around the trees to try and spot her.
"We put posters everywhere.
"All the residents were waiting to go out searching again when I got a call about a possible sighting. The lady said she could hear whistling and it sounded like a human but it was coming from a tree so they thought it might be my bird.
"I leapt in the car and dashed round there. I sat on the grass calling her name and rattling my crisps and all of a sudden I saw her peeping at me from the bottom of the tree.
"I went closer and she sat on my finger and I just picked her up and cuddled her.
"She was very hungry and thirsty but otherwise seemed unhurt.
"It's absolutely amazing to have her back. The residents were all pleased too, everyone was clapping when I brought her back.
"I'd like to thank everyone who helped look for her, especially my social media team of Kim, Hayley, Helen and Leah. Everyone was just phenomenal."
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