Molly the Magpie’s family have shared an emotional update after the bird was reunited with her two Staffordshire friends, Peggy and Ruby.
Juliette Wells and Reese Mortenson shared a photo on Facebook on Tuesday showing the family gathered at their Gold Coast home.
“We are so excited to be able to share the first photo of the 3 best friends together,” the couple wrote.
“Thank you for giving us a little space to settle in and enjoy each other’s company again.”
Queensland Department of Environment officials removed the male magpie from the couple’s home on March 1, saying the wild bird was being held illegally.
But now the bird is finally home after spending 45 days separated from the family.
The first photo of Molly the Magpie reunited with two Staffordshire Terriers, Peggy and Ruby (pictured) has been shared on social media.
The photo showed the two dogs sitting on a fluffy white cushion while Molly stood to the side and looked at the camera.
“He’s singing, barking and sunbathing with Peggy and Ruby,” Mrs. Wells and Mr. Mortenson said.
“We are so grateful to have him back with us that we couldn’t have done it with you.”
The couple broke the news Monday that Molly had been returned home.
‘We have the best news. Molly is home. “We are overwhelmed with emotion right now,” they wrote.
“It was a very exciting meeting in the [Department] this morning for us with a little shout of happiness from Molly.
Wells and Mortenson said they had been granted a license to care for the bird.
The turn of events comes after the Department removed the male magpie from the couple’s home on March 1.
Authorities said at the time that the wild bird was being held illegally.
The couple explained that Molly is not cared for like a parrot or a caged parakeet, as he is free to fly, look for food and return on his own.
Social media users criticized the decision and followers of Peggy and Molly’s Facebook page called for the bird to be returned safely to the family.
Independent veterinary advice found that Molly is “very habituated and may have developmental problems”, meaning the magpie cannot be rehabilitated and returned to the wild.
“The decision to return Molly was made in accordance with the Nature Conservation Act 1992, following extensive legal advice,” department officials said in a statement on Monday.
The beloved magpie (pictured right) was reunited with the bird’s owners on Monday.
The department said Wells and Mortenson had agreed to several terms and conditions, including wildlife care and training to care for Molly.
Wells and Mortonson rescued Molly as a chick after she fell from her nest in 2020.
Originally, Mrs. Wells thought Molly was a woman, but she is actually a man and the name stuck.
Videos of the Magpie playing with Peggy and Ruby that were uploaded online went viral and soon attracted a loyal fan base.