Pie in the sky! Emergency operation after bird stuck in Woolworths sign
Queensland woman Jenny Hillman was leaving her local shopping centre in Stanthorpe when she saw a “wildlife emergency situation” underway.
“I’d gone into the supermarket and I’d heard some calls that sounded a bit weird,” she told Yahoo News Australia.
Ms Hillman noticed a number of firemen precariously resting a tall ladder against a Woolworths sign, but at first glance she couldn’t make out what they were doing.
“I could hear a noise and somebody I knew walked past and they said there’s a bird up there and I can see its head,” she said.
Rushing to work, Ms Hillman managed to zoom in and quickly capture an image of a magpie caught in the sign.
She said she hoped the magpie was going to be okay, adding, “It looked like it was going to be a long job.”
Magpie given a second chance
Officer in charge, Dennis Burton, from Queensland Fire and Emergency Service told Yahoo News Australia he suspected the magpie became stuck due to high winds.
“It was about 6 metres into the air, and it’s slid about two metres down the sign,” he said.
Due to its height, firefighters couldn’t reach the bird using regular ladders and had to bring in an extension ladder.
“Crews were able to then very carefully slide the magpie back out through the signs.”
Mr Burton delivered the injured bird to Granite Belt Wildlife Carers for assessment.
Bird carer Cherie told Yahoo News Australia she expects the magpie to pull through.
“He might have lost a main feather but other than that he should be okay,” she said.
