Now, Sweet Pea is so happy and looks completely different.
Five years ago, Wendy Albright came across Sweet Pea, an umbrella cockatoo, in a Craigslist advertisement. The bird was missing most of her feathers from stress and had hurt her wing, preventing her from ever being able to fly again.
“The ad said that her family didn’t want her anymore,” Albright, who is known as The Parrot Lady on social media, told The Dodo. “I was really sad.”
Albright immediately called the number listed on the post and drove to meet Sweet Pea: “She clung to me and that was that,” Albright said of their first interaction. “It was so organic and pure.”
She took Sweet Pea home the same day.
Soon after, Albright noticed Sweet Pea having seizures. “I think she had probably always had them; they had just gone untreated,” she said of the bird, who is estimated to be about 25 years old.
She took the cockatoo to see several veterinarians, eventually traveling from their home in Boise, Idaho, to Salt Lake City, Utah, to receive treatment from an avian specialist. And her commitment to Sweet Pea’s care paid off.
“She is doing 100 percent better,” Albright said of the bird’s recovery. Additionally, most of Sweet Pea’s feathers have grown back, and she has become calmer and more trusting of people.
“It’s like night and day from when I first got her,” Albright said.
Despite her difficult journey with health issues, Sweet Pea spreads joy to everyone who crosses her path.
“She meets everyone where they are,” Albright said.
Recently, Sweet Pea shared a sweet interaction with a boy on the autism spectrum. The cockatoo, who is typically loud and energetic, greeted him with gentleness and adoring eyes.
“She came completely down to his level and walked up to him very quietly and just sat next to him and cooed to him,” Albright said. “She adjusts to who she meets. I think that’s a testament to how she can actually feel the emotional energy from people.”
Sweet Pea’s personality has blossomed, with her sass shining through.
The bird — whom Albright lovingly nicknamed Drama Mama — recently pretended to limp after being told she couldn’t have a treat.
She has a close friendship with her dog sibling, a black Labrador named Copper, and even barks like him, which earns laughs and confused looks from visitors. The pair enjoys hanging out together, with many of these moments chronicled in Albright’s social media posts.
@theparrotladySending you into the weekend with the best parrot and puppy video to ever hit the internet 🥹#cockatoo#parrot#lab#puppy#bestfriend#adoptdontshop#cuteanimals♬ original sound – Wendy Albright
Sweet Pea also shares a special bond with her mom, Albright. Regardless of how long or short they’ve been apart, the bird welcomes her home like a puppy, hopping toward her and bobbing her head in excitement for her return.
“She just loves unconditionally,” Albright said.
Parrots — particularly cockatoos like Sweet Pea — are the most rehomed pets in the world, which is likely because of their lifespans and the extensive care they require. “I’m looking forward to the day where they’re not traded or sold,” said Albright, who encourages adoption over shopping.
She sums up her journey with Sweet Pea simply: “I didn’t save Sweet Pea. She saved me.”