Baby Parakeet Was Abandoned Due His Feathers but is Now a Tourist Attraction

We have seen or heard cases of discrimination against people for their looks. Well this trait apparently is not only true for humans, but for animals as well. It turns out many animals get abandoned for their unique appearances–it’s actually natural selection at work in the herd: if you don’t look like us, we must shun you. This video features a bird being excluded by his family for his looks.

This parakeet (sometimes called a budgie) named Whipper is from Winton, New Zealand. He was born with a genetic mutation that makes his feathers thin and wispy. Despite being perfectly healthy, he was abandoned while he was still a baby–he was actually kicked out of the nest (cage) twice by his own mother!

Fortunately, parakeet afficionado Julie Hayward did not care about his unusual looks and decided to take care of this adorable bird. The greatest part of the story, however, is that Whipper has become quite the attraction, with tourists coming from all over to see him. There are only three other known parakeets that have this specific “feather duster” appearance and none of them are as active as Whipper.

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