When Zachary Dripps and Ashley Vasquez spotted a bright green parrot perched in their Los Angeles backyard, they didn’t know what to think. Their avocado tree was home to a family of opossums, and leaving the bird outside didn’t feel safe. Unsure what else to do, the couple gently brought him inside, thinking it would be just for the night.

They couldn’t have guessed that the parrot wasn’t leaving anytime soon.

The colorful stranger quickly made himself at home in their guest room. In the meantime, Dripps and Vasquez searched online, trying to figure out if anyone nearby was missing a parrot. They found no immediate leads. But as the hours turned into days, something began to shift.

Neither of them had ever cared for a parrot before, but they were determined to do right by him. They researched what he could eat, scheduled a vet appointment, and did their best to make him comfortable. To their surprise, the bird warmed up to them almost instantly. He perched on their shoulders as though he had been waiting for them all along.

“We certainly didn’t know how cuddly and loving and interactive parrots are,” Vasquez admitted.

“He laughs like a human,” Dripps added. “And he wags his tail like a dog.”

Just three days later, there was a knock at the door. A neighbor stood there, asking if by chance they had seen her bird. When she walked inside and saw him sitting happily on their shoulders, she was stunned.

“He doesn’t act that way with anyone in our family,” she told them in disbelief.

It was then that she shared something unexpected: she was moving into a smaller place and had been considering finding him a new home. She looked at the couple, clearly already bonded with her parrot, and asked if they wanted to keep him.

“Zach and I looked at each other, and we did not say one word. We just nodded,” Vasquez recalled with a smile.

And just like that, the parrot officially had a new home.

They learned he was a red-lored Amazon, 23 years old, and named Pedro. The couple couldn’t resist giving him a playful new full name: Pedro Pascal.

Becoming parrot parents meant a steep learning curve, but Dripps and Vasquez were all in. They rid their home of perfumes, candles, Teflon pans, and hairspray—common household items toxic to parrots’ sensitive lungs. They switched him to a healthy diet of organic pellets, fresh fruits, and vegetables. They provided enrichment toys and even began working with a parrot trainer to deepen their bond.

And Pedro? He flourished. They discovered his love for music—he bobs his head and dances when a song he likes comes on. He is affectionate, playful, and loves being the center of attention.

Their neighbor has since moved away, but she stays in touch, grateful that her parrot landed exactly where he was meant to be. “She’s always super thankful,” Vasquez said. “She told us, ‘I can tell that he’s so loved and in such a happy place.’”

From an uncertain start to a joyful ending, Pedro Pascal has found not just a safe home, but a family that treasures him. And for Zachary and Ashley, what started as a simple act of kindness turned into a lifelong bond with the parrot who laughed, wagged his tail, and chose them as his people.