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Cincinnati Zoo says goodbye to bird show star Reggie the Cockatoo

Incident Date:
09/08/2026
Location:
Cincinnati, OH - USA
Facility Name:
Cincinnati Zoo
Facility Type:
Accredited AZA Facility (AZA)
Incident Category:
Animal Death (AD)
Species:
Animal:
Cockatoo
Animal disposition:
Dead

Summary:

CINCINNATI, OH – One of the birds from Cincinnati Zoo’s bird show has passed away after a decline in his health.

The Cincinnati Zoo said goodbye to Reggie the Eleonora Cockatoo, a “star” of the Wings of the Wonder Bird Show. He was known for his “hello,” upside down swinging, and wave goodbye, the zoo said.

The zoo said as he aged, he developed a feather-chewing behavior, resulting in him being taken out of the show. The zoo’s focus turned to helping Reggie get better by trying new homes, giving him enrichment, taking day trips to other areas of the zoo, and more. While none of these options worked for Reggie, he flew for the first time in his 40 years at the zoo.

In 2022, Reggie returned to the bird show after new training and a new medication regimen. But then, a large mass was discovered, pushing on his esophagus. It prevented food from passing through, and the mass was inoperable, the zoo said. Over 45 years, he performed in 6,000 shows.

Action take by Born Free USA:

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