Watch CBS News

Miami Man Heartbroken Over Theft Of Beloved Pet Bird

MIAMI (CBS4) -A South Florida bird owner is brokenhearted after he says someone stole his pet macaw from its perch outside the Coral Gables library.

The blue and gold bird, named Kinky Friedman after the singer turned Texas gubernatorial candidate, has spent nearly every waking moment with his owner Russ Erickson for the past 16 years.  Erickson says the bird knows three thousand words speaks English and Spanish and has the intelligence of a five-year-old child.

Erickson says he often takes the bird to fly around the park then it waits on a railing while Erickson goes inside the Coral Gables Library.  It's been a routine for years, but Wednesday something went wrong.

"The man who was out there came running in, "He said 'a guy just grabbed your bird'," said Erickson

Robert Brown had never met Erickson, but says he noticed Erickson leave his bird on the railing.  He also says he noticed someone lurking outside the library.  As he was walking to his car, Brown said, "I heard the bird screech three times and I thought something was going on, so I raced back and I saw this guy with a black hoodie get into a van and drive off."

Erickson says he alerted the police and filed a report, but he can't just sit back and wait.

"The guy who took this bird has no clue how social and smart this animal is.  He just saw dollar signs and knows they're worth money," he said. "He's more important than that to me as my friend."

Erickson put up fliers all around the library.  He said he's offering a $500 reward for the return of his bird, no questions asked.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.