Vibrant pets perk up household

By Marty Metzger
Correspondent

Birds of a feather might flock together, but parrots are staunch individuals. What look like dozens of colorful clones in a wild flock are really distinct personalities.

Some traits, however, are species specific.

Macaws, native to Mexico and South America, are considered the largest specimens of the parrot family, measuring up to 36 inches from beak to tail tip. Thirty subspecies give prospective owners a plethora of colors from which to select. Macaws can live in excess of 60 years, so adding one to a household is no short-term commitment.

Another New World (native to the Americas) parrot is the conure. They're happy, playful and affectionate, but expert escape artists. Only a very secure cage can contain these wily guys. And, they'll foolishly take on adversaries many times their size, so owners need to referee situations with larger pets.

On the odd side, conures demonstrate peculiar sleeping habits, such as snoozing in their food dishes. It's a frightening sight for a new owner to find birdie flat on its back with feet reaching for the sky.

Conure types number approximately 25. Among them are the Austral, Cactus, Cherry-headed, Mitred and Queen of Bavaria.

Cockatoos and cockatiels might well be taught to say "G'day, mate!" as most of these diverse birds hail from Australia and surrounds. Shape, size and color varieties offer something for every bird lover. There are white ones, black red-tailed ones, salmon-crested, sulphur-crested, Gang-gang (slate grey with scarlet head), Galah (sporting grey and pink plumage) and majestic Major Mitchell's (flamingo-like rose and white, topped by a red-yellow-red-white crest).

Parrots are often noisy, emitting raucous squawks and screams shrill and loud enough to rival those of a 2-year-old child in full tantrum mode.

Also, the birds are hypersensitive to gases such as cigarettes, air fresheners, bleach and nonstick cookware and many other less-frequently used products. Nibbling on no-nos such as chocolate, crayons, some houseplants, electrical cords and certain vegetables can similarly doom a parrot.

Parrots, which like hiding under pillows and cushions, also succumb to crush injuries when unsuspecting owners sit on them.

Yes, there are some negatives, but, oh, those vibrant personalities!

Melissa Meadows of Loveland is lucky enough to co-habitate with three little avians. Meadows owns 15-year-old Lucy, a Red Lored Amazon; Dory, a 5-year-old double yellow-headed Amazon; and a 10-year-old macaw, Phoenix.

Meadows said that Amazons are happy all the time, expressing their joy of life through vocalization. She's had Lucy much longer than Dory, but Lucy still prefers parrot talk to English. Motor-mouth Dory likes all forms of audible communication. "Hi, cutie" and "Hi, Sophia" are just two of her many phrases.

Not satisfied with monopolizing conversations, Dory decided to pursue a singing career. Unfortunately, she chose as mentor and voice coach tone-deaf Phoenix. Now the two of them hit notes that make eyes cross and water. Meadows, in hopes of improving the discordant situation, plays classical, Celtic and bird call CDs.

Meadows' birds have three-way gabfests and singalongs, as well as completing each other's calls, sounding like wolf whistles. But for all that communication, they are individually caged and have separate play perches, preventing fighting. Phoenix and Lucy amuse themselves, while Dory prefers following Meadows around the house.

Phoenix seems to purposefully speak. When wanting to be let out of his cage, he calls, "Come here!" Once Lucy was screaming while being bathed, an activity she strongly dislikes. Phoenix loudly screamed back, "What's the matter? Are you okay?"

Meadows' former roommate owned a dove that Phoenix had heard but never before seen. One day, the dove flew out of its room and onto the macaw's cage. Phoenix excitedly squawked, "Pretty bird!" The event was funnier still because the dove's name was "Bird."

Before bringing a bird into their home, Loveland resident Mike Bacon, his wife and their now 2-year-old daughter undertook a lengthy, getting-to-know-you process consisting of numerous visits with a male, red-fronted macaw named Chaco, now 4 years old. Eventually, all parties bonded.

Chaco loves playing peek-a-boo with anyone next to him, mimics laughs, gets jealous and constantly seeks attention. Laps draw him like a magnet. He's a picky eater, partial to eggs, chicken, frozen corn and peas, and he requires cut-up fresh fruits and vegetables daily.

Full-flighted Chaco wears a travel harness on family excursions, which he really enjoys. The 24-inch bird also performs tricks, like flipping upside down on a finger, and boasts a 20-word vocabulary.

For all his charm, he's kept apart from Bacon's two dogs and two cats to avoid any rough play.

Summing up his little feathered pal, Bacon said Chaco is "an ornery bird but very fun to have around."

Yoga is a male, 10-month-old, green-wing macaw owned by Sheldon Buswell of Fort Collins. The young, large parrot (nearly 3-foot wingspan) already speaks three phrases and enjoys cuddling, snuggling and dozing on Buswell's chest.

Macaws live 80 to 100 years, said Buswell, and one flew to the top of the record books by making it to 120. Therefore, Yoga is just a pup, so to speak. Buswell will harness train him, get him used to strangers and then take him on outings.

Two cats share the house and owner's attention with Yoga. The cats have never displayed much aggression. Rather, they run from him.

"They respect the beak," said Buswell.

Berthoud bird Zoie is a 12-year-old, Salmon-crested cockatoo that's been bunking with the Mike Jenkins household since September 2006.

Since he's the bird's fourth owner, Zoie came with an established vocabulary, clearly declaring, for example, "I love you." She is bilingual, sometimes barking like a dog.

Jenkins owns a restaurant where the highly socialized bird gets top billing as the entertainment.

Maybe it's because dad is a restaurateur that Zoie has such a diverse diet, or maybe she's just a born gourmet. Regardless the reason, her palate revels in sugar snap peas, carrots, cauliflower, pelleted feed and corn muffins with sweet potato baby food.

Parrots are mimics but each uniquely flies straight into its owner's heart. Prospective owners need to consider a bird's maintenance, lifespan and species-specific traits before making a commitment. Then, prepare for lots of fun!