Her pet parrot kept squawking ‘Mama, Baby’ repeatedly — when she ran from the bathroom, the baby’s face left her terrified

Willie’s heroic act earned him the Animal Lifesaver Award at the Red Cross 'Breakfast of Champions.'

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

(L) A green parrot in cage. (R) A worried mother with baby. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Olena Malik, (R) damircudic)

Heroes don’t always wear uniforms; sometimes, they have feathers and a loud voice. In one remarkable story from Colorado in 2009, a parrot named Willie shocked everyone with what he did during a quiet morning at home. What started as an ordinary day quickly turned into a life-or-death situation. When the owner's pet parrot started squawking loudly, she didn't know he was trying to alert her to a serious situation.

Middle aged woman and parrot together at home. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Valeriy_G)

As reported by Fox News, Willie was honored with the Animal Lifesaver Award at the Red Cross “Breakfast of Champions” event, where Governor Bill Ritter and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper were in attendance. The recognition came after Willie’s incredible actions in November of that year. His owner, Meagan Howard, had been babysitting a two-year-old girl named Hannah Kuusk when she briefly stepped away to use the bathroom, per Animal Welfare Institute. While she was gone, Hannah began choking on a Pop-Tart. Sensing the emergency, Willie started flapping his wings and shouting, “Mama, baby! Mama, baby!” over and over. His panicked cries caught Meagan’s attention, and she rushed out to find the toddler in serious trouble.

An Asian girl eating her food with the help of chopsticks on the dinner table. Representative Image Source: Pixabay | ymyphoto — An Asian girl eating her food with the help of chopsticks on the dinner table. (Representative Image Source: Pixabay | ymyphoto)

By the time Meagan reached her, Hannah was already turning blue. Acting fast, she performed the Heimlich maneuver and managed to save the toddler’s life. But Meagan made it clear who she believed deserved the credit. “Willie is the real hero,” she shared with Fox News. The Red Cross agreed, praising the bird’s quick reaction and strong bond with the family. Willie’s loud warning gave Meagan the precious seconds she needed to act, and those seconds made all the difference.

Mom hugging her crying daughter. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61 — Mom hugging her crying daughter. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Westend61)

This also wouldn’t be the first time a bird has alerted a human to a potential medical crisis. In another story, Wildlife carer Sandie Gillard fell from a second-storey balcony in Esperance, Western Australia, sustaining serious injuries, including a cracked skull and a dislocated arm. Unconscious on the ground, she was awakened by gentle tapping and a purring sound on her forehead, her beloved magpie Jellybean, whom she had nursed three years earlier. The bird’s timely alert allowed Gillard to call her husband for help, and paramedics rushed her to Royal Perth Hospital, where she received emergency care. Doctors later confirmed that Jellybean’s intervention had been crucial in saving her life.

A green parakeet (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Helena Lopes) — A green parakeet. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Photo by Helena Lopes)

While heroic acts usually involve dogs or cats, other exotic animals can step in during crises, too. In South King County, Washington, a pet bearded dragon named Spike saved his owner, Donald Hale, from a bathroom fire. After Hale fell into a deep sleep, Spike climbed on his face and whipped him with his tail until he woke up. Once awake, Hale smelled smoke, found flames inside a bathroom cabinet, and quickly put out the fire before it could spread.