Like most birds, budgies mate for life, and females lay around eight eggs in a clutch, which takes 18 days to hatch. The male will supply food to the nest until the baby budgies leave at 35 days old.

As it happened, Mcgee had met Novalinga and her family during their search for the bird, so she was aware the budgie was at large, she said. After spotting Blue on her fence, Mcgee approached ...