<\/p>\n
Courtesy photo<\/p>\n
Fresno Chaffee Zoo<\/p>\n
A free-flying ambassador bird at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo that had gone missing for five days was found Friday roughly 20 miles away.<\/p>\n
Sarge \u2014 a military macaw, which is a type of large parrot \u2014 was spotted all the way in Sanger after flying off and venturing outside of Roeding Park.<\/p>\n
A family in Sanger notified the zoo after spotting the green bird that\u2019s about a foot tall on their property.<\/p>\n
Zoo staff immediately responded to the call and an animal caretaker called out to the bird.<\/p>\n
It was then that the featured creature was confirmed to indeed be Sarge.<\/p>\n
The vibrant-colored bird flew back to the team member and eventually was brought back to Fresno Chaffee Zoo.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur Zoo teams work to build trust with all our animals every day, and moments like this are a testament to that relationship,\u201d said Ronnie Kerestus, Fresno Chaffee Zoo\u2019s Curator of Animal Outreach.<\/p>\n
Kerestus added that the bird showed no visible injuries and \u201clooks great,\u201d but was nonetheless being evaluated by the zoo\u2019s animal care and veterinary teams.<\/p>\n
As an ambassador bird, Sarge is a trained animal that interacts with guests during events such as educational programs and shows.<\/p>\n
In its natural habitat (Mexico, Central America or South America), a macaw will fly as far as 15 miles each day<\/a> to feed.<\/p>\n This is the second bird at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo to fly away and return.<\/p>\n In May 2024, a Harris\u2019s hawk named Ripley<\/a> flew away from a bird show held at the zoo. Fifteen months later, a woman spotted Ripley in Prather, and zoo staff recovered<\/a> the hawk.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Fresno Bee<\/p>\n