This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Matilda, the red-tailed black cockatoo, is still missing.
When the sun rose over Salt Lake City's Liberty Park Sunday, she flew away from the tree where she had holed up overnight before Tracy Aviary employees could coax her down.
The 1-year-old bird took off about 2 p.m. Saturday during a training exercise in Liberty Park for an aviary bird show after she was apparently spooked by construction noise.
The bird was then harassed by a wild hawk who chased the poor bird. Matilda escaped the big bully by hiding out in a tree in Liberty Park, refusing to come back out.
But Sunday morning, after a night of reflection, Matilda apparently decided she wasn't ready to end her adventure and flew away.
Helen Dishaw, the aviary's curator of bird training, said Matilda keeps hiding in the top branches of trees but doesn't seem inclined to leave the Liberty Park neighborhood.
Dishaw hopes anyone who spots the bird, or at least hears her distinctive call, will contact the aviary so that Matilda can be rescued.
Aviary employees were searching for Matilda again Sunday. Anyone who sees her is asked to call Dishaw at 585-278-6171 or Tracy Aviary at 801-596-8500.
Janelle Stecklein