Staglands Wildlife Reserve's sulphur crested cockatoo, named Pepper. Photo: Supplied / Staglands Wildlife Reserve
A beloved Upper Hutt cockatoo, known for her "hello darling" catchphrase, is believed to have been stolen from Staglands Wildlife Reserve.
General manager Sarah Purdy said staff believed the 6-year-old sulphur crested cockatoo, named Pepper, was taken from the Toe Toe aviary on 17 November.
"She's also missing some nails on her left foot, two of those, and one on her right foot. So that's quite distinctive and we've been going through old photos and video footage and you can see that. That would make her very obvious.
"She might be flying around, you know, back in my mind someone might've taken her and then let her go and so she might be flying around, sitting in a tree in someone's backyard.
"They would quite easily catch her, she's very trusting and likes people."
Purdy said they had no clue as to why someone would take Pepper, but believed anyone with the right knowledge of birds and at the right time could've snuck her out, hidden in their clothing.
Please help find a cockatoo that says "hello darling"
She hoped the person knew how to handle birds so they could understand how to care for her.
"It's kind of shaken everyone a wee bit," Purdy told RNZ's Afternoons.
"She's a very loving bird, she's a very gentle bird. She was hand-reared and so you know that always makes them interactive and they bond particularly with people as opposed to other birds. And she's just been with us probably four years and so everyone knows her very well and is very fond of her."
The wildlife reserve would like her back, with "no questions asked" and would not press charges, Purdy said.
If there was a person involved who did not want to be known, they could drop her off at local animal feed merchant Upper Hutt Produce on Queen Street, about 20km south of the wildlife reserve, she said.
Upper Hutt Produce, operated by Hamish, is open 8.30am to 5pm on weekdays, and 9am to 1pm on Saturday.
"Outside of these hours please call 04 528 8567 and Hamish can come to the shop and collect her."
The wildlife reserve had also filed a report with police, and asked anyone with information to phone police or get in touch online, referencing file number 241119/4730.
Staglands Wildlife Reserve's sulphur crested cockatoo, named Pepper. Photo: Supplied / Staglands Wildlife Reserve