Urgent appeal to find missing 'celebrity' jackdaw who loves to drop in on schools - but has been missing for a week
- 4 months ago
An urgent appeal has been made to find a 'celebrity' jackdaw who loves to drop in on schools - but has been missing for a week.
The loveable jackdaw named Onyx escaped from an aviary at the Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary, Exeter, last Wednesday (6 December).
Onyx, who is less than a year old, is affectionately regarded as a local celebrity due to the many adventures he has been on after escaping from his enclosure.
As he was raised with humans in Dartmoor, Onyx is particularly friendly with people, and was often found flying to numerous locations - including primary and secondary schools, skateparks and people's gardens - just to say hello.
But fears are mounting for the bird's welfare - who is so friendly that he is even taken into local schools for pupils to meet him.
When Onyx went missing last Wednesday, a sighting of him was confirmed at Morrisons later in the day and police have even been to the scene.
Onyx is said to have been captured by a sales rep but as she did not sign in when she visited the store, it has not been possible to trace her and find out where she took Onyx.
Bird rescuer Jenny Steer, who has been looking after Onyx since he was handed to her care this year, is appealing for anyone to come forward who can help find out where he was taken.
She said: "Onyx just loves people - he is more like a human than a jackdaw.
"None of our other birds have escaped, but before he was in our care he was so used to being out and about with people, so any little opportunity he would be out on an adventure.
"He was only born this year but has already been found at places like The Imperial, St David's Station and Dartmouth.
"He has visited many local schools
"He is such a character.
"What we know is that on the day he went missing he was seen flying down by Morrisons gardens.
"We made our way down - as it's exactly what Onyx would love, bright lights and lots of people.
"The security guy said a bird had been in there and a sales rep visiting the store to put up a display picked him up and put him in a box.
"That's the last we have heard of him since - and we are trying to find out who that sale rep was."
Jenny explains Onyx has such such a positive impact on the community in bringing people together.
Jenny, who runs the Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary as a volunteer, said: "It's such an amazing community he brings together - every time he goes off I get messages from people on social media who I have never met before!
"He brings so much joy - one time he went to a skate park in St James, and this woman said it brought tears to her eyes.
"The boys melted with him - they adored him.
"Some people might get nervous if this wild bird is flying towards them, but he is so friendly.
"Everyone is enamored with him so it's tragic he is still missing.
"His friend Elsa, another jackdaw, is calling out for him all of the time because she misses him.
"He is smaller than a crow, with amazing blue eyes. I even want to write a children's book about him and we want to make him an ambassador for our sanctuary.
"I feel so upset I just do not know what has happened to him.
"There has been this huge silence, normally we get him back in a day."
If Onyx is found safe and well, Jenny is planning to get him ringed with an electronic tag so that he can be easily located if he goes missing again.
Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary is currently looking to find its own land with living accommodation so that it can create suitable habitats for disabled birds.
If you have any details about the possible whereabouts of Onyx or potential land, please call Jenny on 07706 445515.
The loveable jackdaw named Onyx escaped from an aviary at the Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary, Exeter, last Wednesday (6 December).
Onyx, who is less than a year old, is affectionately regarded as a local celebrity due to the many adventures he has been on after escaping from his enclosure.
As he was raised with humans in Dartmoor, Onyx is particularly friendly with people, and was often found flying to numerous locations - including primary and secondary schools, skateparks and people's gardens - just to say hello.
But fears are mounting for the bird's welfare - who is so friendly that he is even taken into local schools for pupils to meet him.
When Onyx went missing last Wednesday, a sighting of him was confirmed at Morrisons later in the day and police have even been to the scene.
Onyx is said to have been captured by a sales rep but as she did not sign in when she visited the store, it has not been possible to trace her and find out where she took Onyx.
Bird rescuer Jenny Steer, who has been looking after Onyx since he was handed to her care this year, is appealing for anyone to come forward who can help find out where he was taken.
She said: "Onyx just loves people - he is more like a human than a jackdaw.
"None of our other birds have escaped, but before he was in our care he was so used to being out and about with people, so any little opportunity he would be out on an adventure.
"He was only born this year but has already been found at places like The Imperial, St David's Station and Dartmouth.
"He has visited many local schools
"He is such a character.
"What we know is that on the day he went missing he was seen flying down by Morrisons gardens.
"We made our way down - as it's exactly what Onyx would love, bright lights and lots of people.
"The security guy said a bird had been in there and a sales rep visiting the store to put up a display picked him up and put him in a box.
"That's the last we have heard of him since - and we are trying to find out who that sale rep was."
Jenny explains Onyx has such such a positive impact on the community in bringing people together.
Jenny, who runs the Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary as a volunteer, said: "It's such an amazing community he brings together - every time he goes off I get messages from people on social media who I have never met before!
"He brings so much joy - one time he went to a skate park in St James, and this woman said it brought tears to her eyes.
"The boys melted with him - they adored him.
"Some people might get nervous if this wild bird is flying towards them, but he is so friendly.
"Everyone is enamored with him so it's tragic he is still missing.
"His friend Elsa, another jackdaw, is calling out for him all of the time because she misses him.
"He is smaller than a crow, with amazing blue eyes. I even want to write a children's book about him and we want to make him an ambassador for our sanctuary.
"I feel so upset I just do not know what has happened to him.
"There has been this huge silence, normally we get him back in a day."
If Onyx is found safe and well, Jenny is planning to get him ringed with an electronic tag so that he can be easily located if he goes missing again.
Shimmer of Hope Wild Bird Sanctuary is currently looking to find its own land with living accommodation so that it can create suitable habitats for disabled birds.
If you have any details about the possible whereabouts of Onyx or potential land, please call Jenny on 07706 445515.