While many central Victorians were out enjoying celebrations this Australia Day, Owen Hudson was literally using the shirt off his own back to save one of our own native birds.
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When the 13-year-old was out feeding the animals at his grandmother’s Mount Camel property, he heard the cries of a bird in distress.
A kookaburra had got itself trapped in an old chook pen and was too scared to fly out.
Without even thinking, the Kalianna student took the shirt off his back, went into the enclosure and carefully extracted the bird.
“I honestly don’t think he thought twice about it,” mum Jayme Hudson said.
Owen has autism and has always been an animal lover with a heart of gold, she said.
“He’s pretty impressed and happy to be able to save the kookaburra on this hot day.
“It’s made us proud too – for him to just take off his own shirt with no fear.”
The bird was released without injury and flew off with its companions waiting in the trees.