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Cockatoo Hero!
DALLAS - A hero cockatoo slain trying to protect its master from knife-wielding assailants proved the star witness in the trial of one of its owner's killers.
Daniel Torres was found guilty on Tuesday of murdering Kevin Butler. Prosecutors have said DNA evidence extracted from the bird's beak as well as blood trails caused when the bird violently pecked the assailants were key pieces of evidence that led to the conviction.
According to evidence presented in court, Torres and another suspect, who has yet to stand trial, broke into Butler's home. During a struggle in Butler's living room, the white-crested cockatoo named Bird after basketball great Larry Bird, swooped down on the attackers, clawed at their skin and pecked at their heads, said prosecutor George West.
West has said blood found in Bird's beak and at the sceneof the crime linked Torres to the murder.
Bird may have wounded Torres, but the protective parrot-relative paid the price for trying to take on two armed foes. Bird has its leg cut off and was found dead in the kitchen of Butler's home -- apparently stabbed to death by a fork in the back.
It took a Dallas jury less than an hour to find Torres guilty. He was sentenced to life in prison.
A white-crested cockatoo stands about 18 inches to 20 inches (46 cm to 51 cm) tall and has a beak powerful enough to snap thin tree branches, according to pet dealers.
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Yup, I posted about this a few days ago here. Nice to see that others are also giving brave Bird attention and recognition :)
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I did too, here
It's not something I would expect from a small bird!
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My thoughts too! It's funny, me and my parents always joke about Tina being the lousiest guard dog ever. If a robber ever came her she would just greet him with a wagging tail :rolleyes: But brave little Bird on the other hand... He's a true hero.
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Quote:
Originally posted by Freckles
I did too, here
It's not something I would expect from a small bird!
Oh he wasn't a small bird. He was a big ol' too! Birds are EXTREMELY intelligent, even the little tiels and keets, and its amazing to see how intelligent they really are. Bird owners know their intelligence VERY well though! I think a cockatoo's intelligence in often compared to that of a 4-6 year old child, which is amazing! This bird reacted like a puppy would! Some people believe birds are not loyal pets, but that's not true. They are extremely loyal (ask Popcorn and Muffin! :p) especially if you spend a lot of time with them. They consider their humans members of their flock and try their best to keep them safe! I remember, about 2 years ago, I was walking on the kitchen floor with socks on and slipped. Both of the birds screamed and flew on me and started giving me kisses! :eek: It was weird, but it showed how much they care!
RIP sweet cockatoo! You are a true hero!
ps. Now I'm dying to get a cockatoo. I wish the price tag was lower. :(
