With Neighbors on the Lookout, Lost Parrot Found

Professor Oats, a Quaker parakeet belonging to Loretta Greenwood of La Grange, spent the weekend enjoying the view from rooftops around town. Thankfully he returned home on Monday.

“I took the cage outside to do his normal cleaning, but for whatever reason something startled him and he flew out,” Greenwood said.

That was Friday, Dec. 10.

The next night a strong cold front blew in. It was the same line of storms that generated deadly tornadoes in the Midwest and South over the weekend.

“I was sure there was no way I’d ever see him again,” she said.

Greenwood posted about her lost parakeet on social media, saying she knew it was a long shot. But to her surprise, dozens of people from around the community began sharing her story.

By Sunday, Dec. 12, people starting spotting Prof. Oats around town.

“One of the teachers at the school said she heard this crazy screeching sound, and she had to look because it didn’t sound like any bird from around here,” Greenwood said.

“She looked, and sure enough, at H-E-B he was roosted up and looking at everyone in the parking lot.”

Greenwood drove to the supermarket as quickly as she could, but he was already gone.

“Anytime I’d get a lead, I’d go try to find him but I wouldn’t see him,” she said.

On Monday, Dec. 13, someone spotted him on N. Franklin St. Greenwood dashed uptown in her car.

“I probably looked like an idiot,” she said. “I was calling for my bird out the window. I had my flashers on driving around. And I played super-loud parakeet sounds from my car radio. So I’m sure people thought I wasn’t all there.”

Then she heard a screech over the parakeet sounds blasting from her car.

“I was like, ‘That’s him!’” Greenwood said. “I was on N. Madison and I stopped the car. I looked out the window and saw him perched on the roof of a house. I opened my car door, got out and walked around. He flies at me and lands right on my head!”

Greenwood slowly got in her car and rolled up all her windows. Prof. Oats stayed put.

“He rode on my head the whole way home,” she said.

Greenwood video called her husband to share the news. She said all of his co-workers got a good laugh when they saw the parakeet riding home on her head.

“Our small town and a little Ace Ventura business paid off,” Greenwood said. “I’ve had him for almost two years now. I’m a vet tech and I have an pet sitting service. Animals are my passion. I’ve always been fascinated by birds, parrots all kinds of animals.

“I have him and an African gray,” she added “I’m fond of them both. He can say a few words. He’s not as articulate as my African gray, but he says ‘I love you’ and things like that as he tries to bite the hand that feeds him.”

Greenwood wished to thank all the people on Facebook who helped her track down Prof. Oats.

“It’s a Christmas miracle,” she said. “I feel like this is Small Town, America. There’s nothing better. People looking out for each other and even our birds.”