CARLSBAD (CNS) - The owner of an exotic bird that got loose in a residential neighborhood in Encinitas over the weekend came forward Monday to claim the African crowned crane, the county Department of Animal Services announced.
The gray crane, which is normally found in the savannas of Africa and is not a migratory bird, was discovered by a woman walking her dog in the 2400 block of Calle San Clemente. She coaxed the bird into her garage and called Animal Services, which took it to a shelter in Carlsbad.
The owner, who lives in the area where the bird was found, contacted Animal Services Monday afternoon after hearing media reports about the crane, which he said got loose on Saturday.
If the owner -- whose name was not released -- had not come forward, the bird would have been turned over to an accredited organization such as a zoo or sanctuary.
The African crowned crane is not regulated by either the state Department of Fish and Game or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, nor is the bird an endangered species.
It was the second unusual animal find in San Diego County in recent days. On Christmas Eve, a venomous Mexican beaded lizard was found in a Rancho Bernardo residential area. The reptile was taken to Animal Services and later brought to the San Diego Zoo.