Magpie named ‘Jellybean’ credited to saving West Australian woman’s wife

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australians have long had a love-hate relationship with magpies but mostly love. We hate them when they swoop us to protect their young at springtime, but we love their early morning warbles. For one wildlife carer in western Australia that love goes much deeper she credits a magpie named 'jellybean' with saving her life.

Transcript

00:00Jelly Bean is no ordinary magpie.

00:05She is a once-in-a-lifetime friend, maybe even a super magpie.

00:10Thanks, ma'am.

00:11But I do attribute her to saving my life, I do.

00:14You took a bath, Bob.

00:16Yeah.

00:17Sandy Gillard nursed the injured magpie to health

00:20and released Jelly Bean back into the wild.

00:23The magpie was nearby when Mrs Gillard fell from the balcony of her home

00:26in Esperance in 2020.

00:28She ended up in intensive care at Royal Perth Hospital with a head injury.

00:32She says the magpie woke her at a critical moment after the fall.

00:36But I woke up to this little sound of purring, like purring sound,

00:42and something tapping me on the forehead.

00:44So when I opened my eyes, it was Jelly Bean.

00:47Mrs Gillard says the hardest part of her move from Esperance to Dunsborough

00:50was leaving Jelly Bean behind.

00:53So if Jelly Bean hadn't woken me up, I probably wouldn't be in here.

00:57Sandy?

00:58Hungry, love?

00:59Oh, yes, we are.

01:00The wildlife carer is telling her story partly to encourage others to become carers.

01:05It's got to be the best feeling, I think, ever in the world.

01:09Is that OK if I give her water?

01:11And Jelly Bean is continuing to make friends in Esperance.

01:13She visits all the schools and plays with the kids.

01:17And the kids all know her in Esperance, all the kids know.

01:22Oh, that's Jelly Bean, yeah.

01:23Well done.

01:24Good girl.

01:25Some of the many lives improved by a lifetime of caring.

01:29You OK?

01:31Yeah?

01:32All right.

01:32Good girl.

01:33Good girl.

01:34Good girl.

01:35Good girl.

01:36Good girl.

01:37Good girl.

01:38Good girl.

01:39Good girl.

01:40Good girl.

01:41Good girl.

01:42Good girl.

01:43Good girl.

01:44Good girl.

01:45Good girl.

01:46Good girl.

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01:48Good girl.

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01:55Good girl.

01:56Good girl.

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01:58Good girl.

01:59Good girl.

02:00Good girl.

02:01Good girl.

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