Dublin Airport Police Find Stray Parrot, Launch Appeal to Locate Owner

A green bird perched serenely atop a rubbish bin outside Terminal 1 was not something Dublin Airport's Easter Sunday duty roster had anticipated. Two Dublin Express coach sellers spotted her first, then flagged down a pair of airport police officers who were on routine patrol nearby with their canine unit dog, Jimmy.

What followed was one of the gentler encounters in airport law enforcement history. Kevin Cullinane, Deputy Director of Communications at daa, described the scene on RTÉ's News at One: "One of the officers had some nuts in his pocket as it happened. So he approached the parrot and the parrot seemed to be quite hungry." The bird ate directly from the officer's hand, then flew onto his shoulder and eventually onto his head.

Back at the airport police station, staff fashioned a temporary perch from an old brush handle set inside a repurposed dog crate. The Alexandrine parakeet, confirmed female by a vet on the morning of April 6, was given food and a selection of toys borrowed from the canine unit while airport staff contacted local animal sanctuaries and a nearby pet shop. Dublin Airport's social media team christened her Troy, a playful nod to Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott, then urged anyone who recognized the bird to call airport police at 01 944 7777 or email [email protected].

Troy's calm demeanor told its own story: comfortable around strangers, content to perch on a human shoulder, and unfazed by the noise of a working international hub. These are the markers of a well-socialized companion bird with an owner who almost certainly knows she is gone.

The first two hours after a parrot goes missing are the most critical. Search the immediate area on foot while calling with familiar sounds or phrases the bird recognizes. Place the empty cage outdoors with fresh food inside; a bird that has not traveled far will often home toward a known scent. If the bird was found at a major facility like an airport, call the police or operations line directly rather than waiting on social media: large hubs have staff on duty around the clock who can log the bird and cross-check incoming reports in real time, and security protocols can make standard rescue channels slower than a direct call.

Within 24 hours, file reports with every nearby vet clinic and animal shelter. A microchip or leg band transforms an unidentified bird into a recoverable one the moment it reaches a scanner. Clear, current photographs that show full plumage and any distinctive markings should be circulating across parrot community forums and lost-pet registries before the first day is out.

Over the following week, maintain a daily presence near the disappearance site and use recall training: a familiar voice called at a consistent time can reorient a free-flying bird toward home. Alexandrine parakeets are strong fliers capable of covering significant distance, which makes early reporting to animal control across a wide geographic radius essential. Dublin Airport's appeal remains open at 01 944 7777.