Sid's Spotlight March 2026
Sidney James the Wonder Bird, our beloved Moluccan Cockatoo, to whose memory Sockatoo is dedicated, delighted everyone he met. His joy, curiosity and love of life remain at the heart of everything we do here at Sockatoo.
Sid’s Spotlight honors his memory by sharing stories of other extraordinary parrots, told by the people who love them best.
March 2026 is Sizu’s Journey.
Sizu is a Finnish term for a combination of extraordinary grit and resilience in the face of adversity. Certainly describes this amazing bird’s journey – and his loving mom as well.
Sizu's Journey
The Startle
He was never supposed to leave my shoulder that day.
My beautiful green Indian Ringneck — bright as spring grass, curious as the wind — had always loved being up high, surveying the world from what he clearly believed was his rightful throne. My shoulder was his favorite perch.
But it only takes one second.
A sound.
A shift.
A sudden lift of wings.
And he was gone.
The Search
At first, I thought he’d circle back. He always came back. I called his name until my voice cracked. I searched trees, rooftops, power lines. I left his cage outside. I walked the neighborhood for hours, then days.
Hope slowly started to thin out — like the sky at dusk when the light fades and you realize you’re standing there alone.
Tucson felt too big. Too open. Too quiet without him. I posted him missing all over Facebook and Pet911. And waited.
Weeks passed. Maybe longer. I don’t even remember the timeline because grief bends time in strange ways. I started preparing myself for the possibility that I might never see him again.
The Call
Then one day, my phone buzzed.
A message.
A woman named Jennifer said she had an Indian Ringneck at Kim’s rescue in Phoenix — A Tropical Concept Exotic Bird Rescue.
Phoenix.
From Tucson to Phoenix. Over 100 miles. How? I’ll never know. But birds have a way of surviving in ways that feel almost miraculous.
I tried not to let hope rise too high. I’d already felt it break once. I told myself I would go see the bird just to be sure. Just to close the door gently if it wasn’t him.
Reunion
When I walked into the rescue and saw that flash of green… my heart stopped.
He tilted his head the way he always did. That slight, curious lean. My breath caught.
But I needed proof. I needed certainty.
We carefully checked the band. I pulled up my records — the ID band number I had written down long ago, just in case.
We compared.
Every number matched.
It was him.
After all that time. After all that distance. After I had nearly surrendered to the idea that he was lost to the sky forever… he was standing right there in front of me.
I cried. I don’t even remember trying not to. The kind of crying that comes from relief so deep it aches.
Connection
And that’s how I met Kim.
What began as heartbreak turned into friendship. What began as loss turned into connection. She didn’t just help reunite me with my bird — she reminded me that there are people out there who care as fiercely as we do about these feathered souls.
My Ringneck flew away from my shoulder…but somehow, he flew me into a friendship and a rescue family I didn’t even know I needed.
And every time I look at him now — perched high, proud, green and brilliant — I remember:
Sometimes hope travels farther than we ever could.
Jill Sauer Chaichana
Join our flock – share your parrot’s special story at flock@sockatoo.shop. Birds spotlighted get a free Classic – our thanks to you