Magpie saves wildlife carer: 'If Jellybean hadn't woken me up, I probably wouldn't be here'

Kindness is always returned, and one such incident proves that. After dedicating all her time and life to wildlife, one day, Sandie Gillard, a country wildcarer, fell from a second-storey balcony to the pavement below. That's precisely when an unexpected hero came to her rescue. As reported by ABC Australia, it was none other than a magpie, Jellybean, whom she had previously nursed back to health 3 years before this accident. 

The accident took place in 2020, in Esperance, in Western Australia’s remote southeastern corner, where Gillard resided, caring for wildlife. She shared how the major fall had resulted in a cracked skull and dislocation of her right arm. The senior citizen has no memory of the accident and could only lie unconscious on the ground, when suddenly, she woke up to "this little sound of purring and something tapping," on her forehead. She shares with ABC, "It was like she was saying, 'Come on, wake up."

The strange purring and tapping that woke up Gillard for a limited time had actually saved her life, and it was all due to her beloved bird, Jellybean. The moment Gillard regained consciousness, she shouted loudly for her husband, who was inside the house. Paramedics then rushed to the scene immediately and rescued the injured senior, who was taken to the Royal Perth Hospital. Post the surgery, when the then 68-year-old had gotten better, the doctors informed her of the magpie and how it had played a vital role in saving her life. 

Gillard's love for wildlife throughout her life and the nurturing of these animals had come full circle, as it was one of her beloved magpies that helped save her in her time of need. Gillard spent her early childhood in Papua New Guinea, outside of Kokopo, in the 1950s, where her father, Eddy, worked as the manager of a copra plantation. It was during this time that Gillard found her natural appreciation towards wildlife, and especially birds, as she took care of the local wildlife with her mother, Gloria. She shared, "It's their intelligence, their non-conditional love they give back, and their gratitude for looking after them." According to a report by the National Library of Medicine, birds, despite having small brains, can be considered very intelligent. Corvids and certain parrots can perform mental tasks on par with those of great apes. Researchers studied 28 bird species and found their brains packed with more neurons, especially in the forebrain. This gives them brain power equal to or greater than monkeys, even with much smaller brains.

"When I was a baby in my cot, apparently mum used to put the baby sugar gliders, any of the birds, and baby crocodiles in the cot with me to keep them warm," shared Gillard, reminiscing about her childhood. Gillard talked about her time with Jellybean as well when she first came to take care of the little bird back in 2017, as she fell out of her nest and could not fly. Gillard shared the strong bond they had developed and how Jellybean was loved by her other family members as well. "She played with my grandson. I've got videos of her picking up pencils when he's colouring in and her trying to colour in."

While Gillard was able to recover well after her accident, she decided to leave Esperance to move to the South West and be closer to her family. Gillard felt heavy-hearted as she had to leave her home, sharing, "What am I going to do without all my birds who come back and visit me, particularly Jellybean?" But she finds satisfaction in knowing that she "had brought her up to look after herself and be a normal magpie."