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Some people might find a wonderful bird and just decide to have it for themselves and not to return it to the owner. As you say, you'd never know unless the bird was chipped. My cousin's dog got lost once and after quite some time, they found him living up the street with another family and got him home.
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I think there is nothing worse then people who find someone's else's companion animal and keep it. There are so many social media platforms to advertise, that there is no excuse for not trying to find the animal's human companion. I have no respect for these people.
Of course if you have tried to the best of your abilities to find the animal's human companion and had no success then of course it's fine to either keep the animal or re-home. the question is, how long do you try for? Personally I would try for around a month before I would make a decision.
I would still expect that someone could still come forward for the next 6 to 12 months.
This doesn't mean that you just give the animal over without validating if it is the true owner or just someone after a free pet. Pictures or videos are good. But if the animal goes to that person then it's a fair chance they are the companion.
I've got ads up on Craig's list and seven different sites. I've called the local bird clubs and have people asking around if someone is missing a CAG. I search those same seven sites every friggin' day...
And I am nursing an animal that was near death back to health, and it is living in a full sized macaw cage - and I semi-displaced one of my own birds to give him that... (i.e. she really didn't go back to her cage very often anyway. She lives on her playstand in the window. Now she has too. Cleaning day is going to be birdie musical chairs. Tusk & Lila will have to go in Sweepea's cage. Sweepea in Tusk's. New bird In Lila's. Thank god none of mine are all that particular about "THAT'S MY CAGE!")
What more am I supposed to do?
I did foster care for over a decade. People GAVE ME parrots all the time. I rehomed birds all the time. I was not looking to expand my flock, nor was I looking to take someone else's bird. I went looking for my own, and found someone else's too...
I took care of a friend's bird for TWO YEARS when he was going through a rough time, and then one day, he was back on his feet, and asked for the bird back, AND THE BIRD CLEARLY LOVED HIM AND WANTED TO GO BACK - SO I DID WHAT WAS BEST FOR THE BIRD...
If he doesn't find his home, I will continue to take care of him as if he were one of my own. If someone found Tusk, and couldn't find me, I would hope he would continue to have a good life with whoever found him...
THAT DOESN'T MAKE ME A BIRD THIEF...
What you also have to understand is a lot of people see a lost and found ad, and think RESALE VALUE... This bird belongs to someone. He's not going to be placed in a little travel cage, and sold at the friggin' flea market by someone pretending to be his owner...
This bird does some unique things. His owner will know what they are. This bird will recognize his owner, just as Tusk recognized me...
WHEN THAT HAPPENS HE GOES HOME!!!
WHO DO YOU THINK I AM?!
