Fountain Valley family pleads for help finding missing parrot

FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif. (KABC) -- A Fountain Valley family continues their search for a missing parrot with a big social media following.

Smokey, a 14-year-old African grey parrot, has become more than just a pet for John Nguyen and his family.

"She's totally, totally family," Nguyen said.

Nguyen said he's raised Smokey since she was a 5-week-old chick.

Her life has been documented through videos.

Her YouTube page has more than 87,000 subscribers.

However, for the last month, Nguyen has only posted videos asking for help finding her after she got out of her aviary on New Year's Day.

"As I came out here I saw that one of her perches fell, so it was this one right here and it fell. It was on the floor," he said. "So, I came inside and usually when I'm inside I'm really careful, and I would come in and close the door behind me."

Nguyen admits he let his guard down and Smokey was able to fly out after getting spooked.

He said Smokey circled overhead a few times before he lost sight of her near Edinger Avenue and Harbor Boulevard.

"It was getting dark, so I drove around the entire area, and I tried calling her name. I tried looking, scanning the trees," Nguyen said.

He's holding out hope she's been found, and the person who has her doesn't know her family is looking for her.

"A big part of me really strongly still feels like she's going to find somebody to land on or somebody to land by. She'll seek out humans," Nguyen said.

Also, he said he's received several tips of a bird matching Smokey's description spotted near Fulton Middle School in Fountain Valley.

"I think if she is outside the only reason why she's surviving this long is somebody is feeding her or she's found like a bird feeder that somebody has in the backyard," he said.

Nguyen said every day that goes by without finding Smokey is hard, but he's optimistic she'll find her way home sooner or later.

He is concerned about predators like hawks if Smokey is still in the wild.

Nguyen is offering a reward for anyone who helps bring her home.

Anyone with any information is urged to call or text 714-725-8355.