Have you seen Truman?
The “celebrity” avian Truman, a 4-year-old Cape Parrot, took flight Monday morning from Bensonhurst’s Satellite Park and his owner has been pacing Brooklyn ever since searching for him.
Michael Sazhin, 27, known as “The Parrot Wizard,” who writes about and performs with his exotic birds, has issued a $1,000 reward for Truman’s safe return, and is hoping some compassionate animal lover finds Truman before he falls into the wrong hands, crashes into trouble, or succumbs to the elements, starvation or thirst.
Anyone who sees the emerald-green bodied and brown-headed Truman, who weighs about 12 ounces and wears a band, is asked to call 917-318-6394 or email Michael@trainedparrot.com .
“He’s got no survival skills,” for living independently, said Sazhin, who lives in Bensonhurst. Truman likes nuts — especially almonds — and “other bird-like stuff” and may also be attracted by an aluminum bowl full of water, but his best chance of recapture would be for a good Samaritan who sees the bird to summon Sazhin if he is seen, as he has been trained to respond to his owner.
Truman’s life and training has been documented on popular Youtube videos since he was a fledgling (his name came from the character played by Jim Carrey in “The Truman Show”). But when performing publicly, Kili, a Senegal Parrot also owned by Sazhin, always “upstaged him in every way,” recounted his distraught owner.
The hunt to find the domesticated bird, which has created a flap in social media and local news outlets, “is the most attention he’s ever gotten,” Sazhin said.
Should Truman be located, he won’t get his wings clipped, but neither will he be allowed off leash until he can prove he is no longer a flight risk.
“I might put a transmitter on him,” Sazhin said. “I don’t want to burden the community like this ever again,” he explained, adding, “I just want to get him back.”
(Sheila Anne Feeney)
