When Maria was on a walk and found a day-old House Sparrow struggling in the middle of the road, she had no idea he would completely change her life. Happy may be a bird, but many of his behaviors are extremely dog-like.
He knows his name, follows his mom from room to room, gives kisses, knows commands, loves to snuggle, and even asks for pets.
When Maria found Happy in May of 2020, he was injured and lying in the street at only a single day old. So she scooped him up and ran him right home. She couldn’t just leave him there.
She wasn’t even sure what kind of bird he was or whether or not he would make it through the night. The tiny, pink baby bird was featherless, had peck marks on his head, a severe back injury, and a big scab on his beak. He was in really rough shape.
So she read-up and researched what to do and how to take care of him. Maria kept him for a week and a half before she sought the help of a professional rehabber. She wanted him to have the best chance of living a long, happy life in the wild.
But because of his beak deformity, Happy wouldn’t ever be able to shell seeds and eat certain things on his own. So he couldn’t be released back into the wild. The rehabber explained that unless someone were willing to adopt him, he would be euthanized.
Less than an hour later, Maria arrived to take him home. The pair have been inseparable ever since.
The precious pair do everything together. If Maria is eating, Happy wants a taste. If she’s taking a drink, he wants a sip. Their beautiful bond is so endearingly adorable.
“He’s like a tiny flying puppy,” says his smitten mom, Maria.
Like a curious puppy, Happy is always eager to be in the action and investigate what his mom is up to. He also snuggles and wants her to pet him, but if she doesn’t immediately smother him in love, he will push her finger like a dog would push your hands to beg for attention.
With time, Happy has learned a handy work-around for picking up food with his broken beak, and he does incredibly well. But since he still can’t shell or break seeds, and his mom takes his nutritional needs very seriously, she sprouts his favorite seeds right at home. This way, he’s always able to help himself whenever he likes. Now that’s true love.
Speaking of love, Happy essentially sees Maria as his mate, and he constantly tries to woo her into his nest that he insists on building with her help. The silly Sparrow will select things from all around their house, including pieces of paper towel and some of his mom’s hair ties, all so he can make the most magnificent nest.
You can check out a video that captures the smile-inducing story, below. And if you can’t get enough of this sweet Sparrow, you can see tons more of him on his Instagram page.
Featured Image: YouTube
Toledo, United States.
