UPDATE (22 June 2011): Following nearly 3 months of rehabilitation, the famous corella dubbed "Chaddy" has been released.  The long-billed corella became stuck on a wire on the facade of Chadstone Shopping Centre on 28 March this year.

A local worker spotted the bird through the glass facade and noticed it was struggling to fly away. She called Wildlife Victoria's Emergency Phone Service to report the incident.

A Wildlife Victoria volunteer rescuer assessed the situation and called in the help of the Melbourne Fire Brigade (MFB).

A specialised high-angle rescue team and four fire trucks were deployed to the scene to help the trapped corella.

The MFB rescue team began scaling the building and dropped a rope to the distressed bird. Saving the MFB team an abseil adventure, the corella swiftly hopped onto the rope and was lowered to the ground.

The Wildlife Victoria volunteer then safely transported Chaddy to a veterinary hospital where it received a pin in its leg.

Following a couple of months of R&R in a wildlife shelter and regular veterinary checks, the bird’s pin was extracted and it was given the all clear.

We are delighted to report that Chaddy was released in parklands nearby to the shopping centre where he was first found. He took to the skies with enthusiasm and a natural flair that a corella should have in the wild.

These are the moments that make all of the hard work by our volunteers so worth while.

Release Photos