George the Talking Magpie's Viral Video

This video was George the talking magpie's claim to fame, the video that made her an international sensation. Zoo staff member Heather Doncaster was spending time with George and was able to capture this footage of George who had quite a bit to say on this particular day!
George flew onto the shoulder of a zookeeper back in 2007 and started talking, apparently an imprinted young bird who had been taught to say a few phrases. Per federal regulations for birds, the zoo notified officials and George was taken to the Bird Treatment and Learning Center to see if he could be integrated with other rehabilitated magpies in a release flight pen. Due to her imprinted nature with humans, she was not deemed a good candidate for release so she was brought back to the zoo for a permanent home. She lived a long life with her zoo caregivers and was especially fond of Heather. Depending on the day and George's mood, she would chatter and say her favorite phrases like "Hi, George". George passed away in 2020 and is still dearly missed by zoo staff, volunteers and fans around the world.