The sounds of a bird saying "Hello Darling" are coming back to Upper Hutt

Pepper the cockatoo has been returned to Staglands wildlife reserve - after being snatched more than a week ago.

Pepper was sold to a young man on Monday - he then heard about the theft on the news.

The man realised he'd unknowingly bought Pepper, and returned her to Porirua police station - before she was transported back to Staglands.

Staglands manager Sarah Purdy has put the bird in a higher-security site.

She says Pepper's now in an aviary you can view but can't walk into.