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Friends Concerned For Dozens Of Exotic Birds After Stamford Woman's Death

STAMFORD, Conn. — Friends of a retired Stamford woman who cared for dozens of exotic birds in her city apartment made a sad discovery on Friday. 

Laurie Fierst, owner of Stamford's Parrots and Company, holding a 7-month-old blue and gold Macaw.

Laurie Fierst, owner of Stamford's Parrots and Company, holding a 7-month-old blue and gold Macaw.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern
Police respond to a woman's death at 241 Hamilton Ave. in Stamford. Her death does not appear suspicious, but there were dozens of exotic birds in her home.

Police respond to a woman's death at 241 Hamilton Ave. in Stamford. Her death does not appear suspicious, but there were dozens of exotic birds in her home.

Photo Credit: Frank MacEachern

After they had not seen their friend for a few days, an employee and customer from the Stamford-based Parrots and Company went to her apartment to check on her.

A building maintenance worker let the two into the woman's apartment Friday afternoon, where they found she had died, said Laurie Fierst, owner of Parrots and Company. 

"She was gentle, intelligent, caring and generous but private," Fierst said about the retired woman. She declined to give the woman's name.

Fierst had even given the woman many of the birds from the store to care for. The woman was a regular at the business and would spend hours at the store, visiting, talking and seeing the birds, Fierst said.

The woman was retired and lived alone in her apartment at 241 Hamilton Ave., police said. She apparently died natural causes although police were investigating. 

Fierst and officials did not know how many birds were in the woman's care — but the number was believed to be at least a couple of dozen birds. 

The birds were apparently still in the apartment late Friday afternoon, and Fierst said she did not know what would happen to them. 

Stamford police officers responded to the scene along with animal control officials. They had no official comment on the status of the birds. 

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