After years of searching, man reunites with beloved pet

BUTTE, Mont. - For the first time in a half a decade, Mike Taylor sees his bird Love Love

"I've been kind of looking for him this whole time," Taylor said.

The 25 year-old macaw he'd owned for years was stolen from his home in Great Falls, he said. Taylor spent more than five years searching.

"I've always kind of looked on Craigslist and everything," he said, about his efforts to find Love Love.

Then last week, Taylor's friend Steve Campbell told him something that gave him hope.

"I said, 'No I know that's your bird," Campell recounted. He said he saw Love Love at Montana's Parrot & Exotic Bird Sanctuary (MPEBS) in Butte.

Taylor immediately called them up.

"He started to describe various things that only he would have known," said MPEBS founder Lori McAlexander.

From one blind eye, to a funny growing beak and a backwards toe, to loving the game "peek-a-boo-" McAlexander said Taylor gave a spot-on description of the bird she'd been caring for. She knew it was Taylor's macaw.

Turns out, she thought Love Love was girl and named Scarlett- from the person who surrendered the bird to the sanctuary.

Now, Scarlett is back to Love Love- and can finally go back home.

"Hangs upside down already, let me grab his beak, does his peeky-boo, likes to tuck his head," said Taylor, about how fast Love Love picked up his old tricks again.

Taylor said it's been a long time, but he could tell the bird recognized Taylor right away.

"Very heart touching," Taylor said. "He's to himself again already, he really is. I mean, he [didn't] forget."