Three-year-old Pablo, a tropical macaw parrot, has been missing from his Russell home in the Bay of Islands for nine days.
He was allegedly attacked by a grumpy neighbour, and his owner says the incident has prompted Pablo to flee some 250km to East Auckland, where the search for him continues.
The moment Hamish and Lulu Peterson found out their blue and gold macaw had flown to Howick, they travelled to Auckland.
"We own our own business, so we literally left in our work clothes last Wednesday and travelled down," Lulu told 1News.
It followed what Lulu said was an alleged attack by a nearby neighbour after Pablo "escaped" nine days ago.
"It's very traumatic what's happened for Hamish and I," she said.
In her search efforts, Lulu shared Pablo's disappearance to a local lost and found page. That was soon re-shared, and within several days there was a confirmed sighting in the East Auckland suburb of Howick.
The pair, along with son Kaleb, have been positioned at the top of nearby Half Moon Bay's Pigeon Mountain for eight days now, as locals saw him settle there.
"There are that not many free-flighted macaws around, so we just looked at each other and said, 'we've got to go'."
"There were very heavy winds at the time, he must have been ahead of them," Lulu said about the parrot that flew through the aftermath of the Auckland floods.
"His radius is becoming smaller, it’s incredibly focused around Pigeon Mountain.
"He's super fit, we will never know how he got down here."
She said he's a social creature and is a very special part of the family, which also comes with three children, three dogs, a cat and some chooks.
Out of his habitat
He also enjoys having his tummy tickled. (Source: Supplied)
Pablo is out of his regular routine, which includes visiting nearby neighbours, including Burton Shipley, husband of former Prime Minister Dame Jenny Shipley and sitting on power lines down below their street. He also enjoys a free flight above the open sunroof of the family's convertible mini when it's out on the road.
Lulu said the Howick region has been "amazing" at supporting the search effort. People have brought coffee, food, battery power packs and a gazebo to shield the family and their support crew from the elements.
A vet nurse from Auckland Zoo also spent some spare time helping out, giving "moral support".
"I have experience in handling macaws, and I had a few days off, so I was able to handle Pablo's return if needed," she said.
Other macaw owners have also been out to help, some bringing their pet macaws to help call Pablo out.
There have even been offers of support from Australia.
But Lulu and Hamish are not sure he will return, despite maintaining the search for 19 hours a day.
Lauren and Cody Clifton travelled from Auckland’s Bombay to help. (Source: 1News)
"We've had so many close calls, especially yesterday and the day before. He was just at the bottom of the hill here, and he was just so close, and then a car goes by," she said.
"It is a huge distraction, and then he just takes off."
Couple, Lauren and Cody Clifton have driven from South Auckland's Bombay to Pigeon Mountain three times this week to help. They have two macaws and told 1News they wanted to use their birds, Lulu and Diego as an 'anchor' to try and draw Pablo out.
The Cliftons lost one of their birds when they previously lived in Howick and said the community have "jumped in" to help the Petersons.
"We lost Lulu and then everyone in Howick helped us find her," Lauren said.
"We are going to try our best to help," she said. "We just want to get him [Pablo] home."
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