In a touching wildlife story capturing attention across Australia, a 16-year-old girl rescued a parrot trapped in adhesive on a suburban fence. Within hours, the bird’s entire flock gathered around her yard, in what experts interpret as a communal expression of gratitude and solidarity.
The incident, documented in a widely viewed TikTok video this June, shows the teen carefully removing the sticky substance and freeing the colorful parrot. After the rescue, several dozen parrots circled, perched nearby, and lingered before flying away together. The video has amassed over 2 million views, with biologists noting parallels to known parrot social behavior and community bonds.
Australian wildlife ecologist Dr. Emily Harper praised the outcome, calling it “a rare but beautiful example of avian social intelligence in action.” She explained that parrots—which often mate for life and travel in tight-knit family groups—can be highly attuned to the fate of one of their own.
Species-focused Facebook groups across Victoria have since reported similar stories, where rescued wild birds draw all nearby flock members to the rescue site.