Volunteer firefighter Matt Owens has plenty of rescues to his name - and not just of the human variety.
The Awhitu local has a side-hustle as a bird whisperer, nursing two injured magpies back to health.
The first of them, Swoop, a young, fluffy baby, ended up falling in love with his cat, Mowgli.
"The story of Swoop and Mowgli was sort of this romantic love story between this cat and this magpie," he told TVNZ1's Seven Sharp.
"Swoop would sleep inside at night and I'd let her out every morning, and she would go visiting all the neighbours.
"Every neighbour around here had a little relationship with Swoop going on that I had no idea about."
Eventually Swoop left to make her own nest, but the one she left at the Owens household wasn't empty for long.
Niwa was rescued next, after being attacked by other magpies.
Owens quickly established himself as a Kiwi Dr Dolittle, with a pair of muscovy ducks also inviting themselves to his home and cruising in his paddling pool.
"I don't know, it's just the universe sharing some magic with me."
Now Owens is getting ready to take the tale of his creatures to the next level, writing a children's book.
A local artist, also visited by Swoop, is illustrating it.
"My story has helped people get through things," Owens says.
"It's just really nice. Life's a pretty special thing."
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