Officials freed the birds from the bottles, but many were weak and several later died.

Cockatoos were classified as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in 2007.

CNN reports that wildlife smuggling is big business in Indonesia, and the water bottle method is commonly used to smuggle birds.

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Rose Scott signals as Closer Look goes on air in the WABE studio. An Atlanta resident left WABE a $3 million donation, a boost after WABE lost $1.9 million in annual funding from the Corporation of Public Broadcasting. (Ben Gray / AJC file)

Credit: Ben Gray