Mark please don't take this the wrong way and I don't mean anything by this. I know you believe someone has her, but I would not rule out the possibility that she went much further than you think. It IS possible. Don't rule ANYTHING out. Unfortunately that could also mean the absolute worst.
I just mean for Maggie's sake. It's all possible.
Well, I look at everything.
But there's a difference between possible and plausible... It's all theoretically possible. BUT in all likelihood, my efforts are best concentrated on the San Antonio area. More likely than not, she's still here. In the vast majority of the cases they are found within five to ten miles of where they were lost, sometimes even months, and years later. Don't start out looking in New York for a bird that was lost in San Antonio. Yes, it's possible she was shipped by someone, to someone, to sell elsewhere, but really... how probable is that?!
She wouldn't stay out and starve. She couldn't really fly effectively in the storms we had. When she does go flying, she generally flies in a circular pattern. Her personality is such that if she got hungry, or scared, or lonely, she'd find a person who she could trust, and go to that person... A friend of mine who has a bird like Maggie, and free flies that bird, lost his bird for two months... THE BIRD CAME DOWN IN SOMEONE'S YARD, AND LANDED ON SOMEONE'S SHOULDER - THE DAY THE BIRD WAS LOST. It took that person two months to find HIM. And only gave him back because he was really, really persistent. The guy actually wanted to keep the bird, but in the end, realized the right thing to do was to give him back....
I STILL THINK THAT IS THE MOST LIKELY SCENARIO HERE... Especially given the phone call to the local vet in the area where she was lost. "Is someone missing a big red bird, cuz I just found one in my yard..." HOW MANY BIG RED BIRDS ARE FLYING AROUND THAT PARTICULAR AREA OF SAN ANTONIO?! Odds are this person found Maggie.... and either hasn't found me, or doesn't want to give her back, or has now given her to someone else who doesn't want to give her back...
HOW LONG CAN YOU HIDE A GREENWING, BEFORE SOMEONE SEES IT AND SAYS SOMETHING?!
THE GUY WHO WROTE THE BOOK ON FREE FLYING lost two of his birds in a remote area, where, FORGET ABOUT IT, YOU'LL NEVER FIND THEM.... THE BIRD'S FOUND THE ONE LITTLE CABIN OUT THERE... THE GUY WHO FOUND THEM, FOUND OUT SOMEONE WAS MISSING THEM, AND CALLED. HE GOT THEM BACK. It's all about DID SOMEONE HONEST FIND THEM, and DO THEY KNOW YOU ARE LOOKING FOR THEM?
PUBLICITY. THE MORE THE BETTER. SOCIAL MEDIA...
I'M STILL LOOKING FOR MY BIRD...
THIS ISN'T GOING AWAY.
THIS IS WHAT SHE MEANS TO ME.
IT'S NOT YOUR BIRD. THIS ISN'T A "STRAY" PARROT. SHE HAS A HOME.
GIVE HER BACK TO ME.
Sooner or later, the right person has to hear that message.
The more places I can get the word out, the better my odds are of recovering her.
IF I STOP LOOKING SHE'S GONE FOREVER!
Simple as that.
