Bert & Ernie emus flew their coop in Windsor Twp. Both now captured

An emu named Bert escaped from his home in southeastern York County over the weekend, and after a lengthy search, he was captured on Wednesday, Jan. 7.

Sarah Hersey of Windsor Township said the bird was trapped on Lucky Road in the Brogue area and he is now on his way home.

“We got him,” she said in a brief phone interview.

He seems to be fine.

Hersey said she bought two emus – one named Bert and one named Ernie – a few months ago from a man who offered them for sale for a low price. Ernie is more docile, while Bert tends to be more scatterbrained.

Both escaped from their enclosures over the weekend, but Hersey was able to bring Ernie home. Bert, however, had been on the run until Wednesday morning.

Hersey received Facebook messages from residents who had seen Bert. One reported he was spotted along Lucky Road in the Brogue area on Wednesday morning. Hersey said she and others had been trying to locate and capture the emu to bring him home.

Hersey, who has a bird farm, said she had received messages from residents concerned about the emu on the loose with the avian flu. None of her birds are sick.

Hersey said some people had threatened to harm Bert, but she wanted to bring him home safe.

“Capturing him is my No. 1 priority,” she said earlier on Wednesday. “… We do love them.”