FULLERTON, Calif., Jan. 3 (UPI) -- A California woman said her $5,000 pet toucan is back at home after her 8 months on the loose turned her into a local social media celebrity.
Courtney Chapman, 39, said one of the two toucans she purchased as birthday gifts for her husband and son escaped from the aviary behind their Fullerton home less than 15 minutes after being dropped off by the breeder.
Chapman said she was told it was unlikely that she would ever recover the exotic bird, but there were so many toucan sightings in the area that she started a Facebook page for Fern the toucan to document the sightings and share photos and videos taken by witnesses.
Fern's long vacation came to an end Tuesday when she flew into a Yorba Linda auto repair shop, where she was eventually captured by Connor Chubbuck, a worker with the Omar's Exotic Birds in Brea.
The bird was returned to Chapman Thursday.
"Omar [Gonzalez] and Connor were very courteous and professional when we were there and we had a lot to discuss and clear up, which I think we did very well," she wrote in a Facebook post. "Our family will always be a turn only grateful to them for safely capturing her safely and Connor for taking such good care of her while she was there on her short stay."
Chapman said she was grateful to members of the public for keeping an eye out for the toucan during her months on the loose.
"It was awesome seeing all of Fullerton come together and track Fern, well-wishing her constantly," Chapman told the Orange County Register. "I'm glad she got to go out and share her experiences. Everybody's had an experience with her, and I think it's awesome that she got to go out and meet friends."
"She has a lot of Fern fans now," Chapman said.
