Beloved Cockatiel Missing

NORTH CAPE MAY – Cape May and its surrounding area is famous for its autumnal bird migration. Hawks, loons, merlins, northern harriers, peregrines and many others make their way down the coast to warmer climes. Hopefully, though, a cockatiel didn’t find her way into the mass exodus.
According to Gary and Joan Walker, their beloved eight-year-old cockatiel, Pema, went missing this past August, a few days before Hurricane Irene. Pema was queen of the Walker’s house, according to the couple. Hand-fed as a baby, she was a pet in every sense of the word.
“She’d come onto my shoulder every day and sing,” said Gary. “That’s how our day started out, with the song of a lovely bird.”
In addition to Pema, the Walkers owned two other birds, including Boz, a macaw. Since Pema’s disappearance, however, their nest has grown with the addition of two new cockatiels, Lola and Lily.
People who saw the missing bird posters contacted the Walkers to let them know they had found a cockatiel. Both Lola and Lily were found living in backyards.
While some birds are tropical, cockatiels are indigenous to Australia and could survive outdoors in most of South Jersey’s climate.
“But the dead of winter is another story,” said Gary.
The Walkers’ search for Pema has included everything from blanketing the area with posters to a cockatiel tape outside.
“Cockatiels are great fliers,” said Gary.
“There is no way she’d recognize this place from the sky because she’s never seen it from above,” said Joan.
Joan plays the tape in hope that Pema will hear it, recognize it and fly home.
“I played it for her when she was growing up,” said Joan. “She knows it.”
“People would call and tell me they saw her, a mile away, and I’d run up and play the tape, but she wasn’t there,” added Joan.
The retired couple has lived in their cozy North Cape May nest since 1997. Joan, an artist and dog trainer, has always been fascinated with animals’ brains.
“I trained dogs and was always interested in how animals’ brains worked,” said Joan. “And somehow, it transferred to birds.”
“I enjoy birds for their intelligence,” she added. “They have the brains of a four or five-year old.”
“Pema was the center of this family,” said Gary, explaining the impact that the bird has had on his wife, who suffers an incurable neurological disease.
“It makes for sadness and difficulty,” said Gary, referring to his wife’s disease, “And Pema could pick up when Joan was having a bad day,” he said, “She would come nose-to-nose with Joan for 10 minutes.”
“She never let things get too down,” he added. “This is not a pet. She is a key part of this family.”
The Walkers are not about to give up their search for their beloved bird.
“She could be living in someone’s back yard,” said Gary. “Or someone could have taken her into their house.”
“Right now we have 4 birds and two German Shepards,” said Gary. “And one lost bird – our heart.”
Anyone who may have information regarding Pema is encouraged to contact the Walkers at 609-889-8815.