They say birds of a feather flock together, but in the case of one abandoned magpie in Australia, that simply isn’t true. In fact, the bird’s best friend is a dog – and their unlikely friendship has spawned internet fame for them both.
Meet Cute
The pals’ names are Molly (the magpie) and Peggy (a Staffordshire Bull Terrier). Two years ago in Queensland, Peggy was out walking with her dog mom Juliette Wells and her partner Reece when they all happened upon the orphaned baby bird wandering around. They went to the dog park and kept an eye on the bird to see if her parents resurfaced to claim her. When they didn’t, the couple took the winged creature home. Unable to find a wildlife rescue that could take the bird in, they decided to care for her themselves.
After a couple of days of feeling each other out, Molly and Peggy became fast friends. They discovered they both loved rolling around, napping, and piggyback rides. They became so close that when Peggy was in heat, she actually had a pseudopregnancy in which she produced milk for her “baby” bird.
It wasn’t long until Juliette and Reece started posting pics on social media of these adorable pals. Their Instagram account @peggyandmolly now boasts over 192,000 followers!
“People were shocked at the relationship between the two of them and how they were always together and loved lying together and going to sleep together,” Juliette told People.
A Growing Brood
Recently, a new family member entered the picture: Peggy’s puppy, Ruby.
“Molly used to stand on Peggy’s back and sing to the puppy in Peggy’s stomach while she was pregnant,” Juliette told People. “So as soon as Ruby was born, she and Molly were the best of friends.”
That said, there is something akin to sibling (or is it species?) rivalry happening. Peggy is understandably protective of her pup, and Molly can be aggressive toward them during magpie mating season.
Juliette admits it’s hard work caring for all these animals – not to mention expensive – but she treasures the response she’s seen in people who follow this unconventional friendship story.
“I try and put across love and acceptance. Basically, these animals are different, but they don’t really care about that. They accept each other for who they are,” she told People.
If dogs and birds have figured out how to live in harmony, let’s hope humans aren’t far behind.
