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Driver's remarkable discovery at Sydney Airport after two-week trip

Boarding a flight for a two-week trip overseas, one NSW traveller had no idea they'd inadvertently grounded a frequent flyer. That frequent flyer wasn't of the human kind, but a plucky kookaburra that had somehow managed to survive the fortnight trapped inside the car of the tourist, which had been left in a car park at Sydney Airport. The traveller returned from their trip to make the remarkable discovery behind the car's grille before rescue organisation WIRES were called. Attending volunteer Kelly was "astonished" to find the bird alive and despite showing signs of weakness, it was injury-free. The driver speculated the kookaburra had been eating insects under the hood to survive. The driver revealed on their way to the airport from regional NSW they had collided with a bird but after inspecting their vehicle, there was no trace of the animal. After two weeks caring for the bird, volunteers were able to identify the location where the collision occurred and released the kookaburra in its original habitat. "It flew to the treeline where another kookaburra was perched, and was welcomed back into its territory," WIRES revealed. Drivers warned to take extra care as collisions increase While animal strikes on regional roads are on the rise, smaller animals, including joeys, can often survive when they enter the grille and become lodged inside the car. In 2020, a young agile wallaby survived a 300km road trip relatively unscathed. And in July and September 2023, there were two other instances of 'miracle' wallabies surviving the strange ordeal. Drivers are being warned to be extra vigilant on Australian roads in recent years. It comes as smash repair businesses in Canberra revealing there's a backlog of customers with cars damaged either by wildlife, or subsequent collisions after swerving to avoid animals. Royal Automobile Association (RAA) Senior Manager of Road Safety, Charles Mountain, said there was a "clear trend" that kangaroo collisions were increasing in South Australia as urbanisation continues amid a national housing crisis. "Kangaroos in particular are unpredictable creatures that can seemingly come out of nowhere and pose a significant safety risk," he said. Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.