In The Spring A Young Man's Fancy Turns To ...A Parrot????

Well that is if you are a boy Parrot :) Conrehabit has a permanent resident at the aviary. Paco is a young male Military Macaw. He is a confiscated parrot that for now can't be released into the wild. Paco's sole diet before he came to live with us consisted of  yummy sunflower seeds. He absolutely refuses to eat anything but sunflower seeds, In fact he would starve to death if he were released. We have tried to explain to him that there are no sunflower seeds in the subtropic areas he calls home. Heck he doesn't care he just spits at you while trying to shorten your finger and goes back to eating his seeds.

Even on a good day Paco can be a might cantankerous!!! Sometimes cleaning his cage can turn into a real test of wills, which he knows he can win. I don't know about you but he is a lot faster then I am at biting fingers (off) !! His beak is plenty big and more then powerful enough to easily shorten my finger by a joint or two :(

Okay back to his mood swings. When we had all the juvenile parrots in the aviary they kept Paco company and gave him plenty to do. Since he was sure he was the only one who could train them to "fly free"!! :) Well since we released all the kids a couple of months ago, Paco has become more surly with each passing day. I have to tell you there is nothing worse then a cranky depressed Military Macaw!!

We knew we had to do something when he lost interest in his beloved sunflower seeds and never stopped squawking the whole time anyone was there. I sure hope the bad guys never figure out that if a human is left with a large parrot squawking PACO PACO PACO at the top of his lungs without ever coming up for air for more then a few minutes they will confess to anything just to shut him up. Martha our trusty leader decided we needed to find a friend for Paco. And as luck would have it, there was a young fellow in town who had a military macaw he was caring for that had completely out grown his cage. He wanted to know if Conrehabit could take the bird into our aviary with a possibility of release. Perfect we said because this parrot ate real parrot food not sunflower seeds, and acted like a parrot should. Maybe Paco would get the idea that eating his greens is good for him, and that biting peoples fingers was socially not acceptable :)

So we set up a meet and play date for the two macaws. That morning Paco was beside himself he had bathed, groomed, and slicked back his head feathers. All the while practicing his introduction to his new buddy, pal, friend. "Paco Hi Paco Hi Paco Paco Paco" Well ya never know the guy might be a bit forgetful. 

 

We humans took all the precautions we could think of. As cranky as Paco had gotten we weren't real sure how polite he was going to be to his company. We left Paco in his cage, and brought Jaime into the aviary in "his" cage. Well the minute Jaime arrived it was as if the sky lighted up with fireworks. Paco took one look at Jaime and Jaime took a good long look at Paco and suddenly they both were completely smitten, madly in lust, Love at first sight!!! :) Yep you guessed it Jaime was not a boy bird. SO we quickly changed her name to Jamie and got on with the introductions.

By the time we were ready to leave that first "date" all you could hear either bird saying was Paco Paco Paco :) I'm happy to report that our fears were groundless, our cranky cantankerous, depressed boy is constantly walking around with a smile on his face whistling "Oh Sweet Mystery of Life" They both have their own cages but they flit back and forth as the mood strikes. In fact Paco has taken to eating a bit of orange or tomato, and Jamie has discovered a craving for, yep, sunflower seeds :)

It seems Jamie has found her military macaw in shining armor and Paco couldn't be prouder!! :) Meanwhile Martha is drawing up plans for the addition of a nursery to the aviary!!!!!

 

Okay girls and boys I promise to pass on any gossip er news of our two love birds. I did hear Paco say he sure hopes Jamie hurries up and decides when he can move his slippers on that side of her perch cuz his legs and wings are getting a might tired with all the prancing around and wing spreading he's been doing ;)

On that note I'm off to read my new Flea Market Style magazine my kindred sister Laurie sent me, after chasing all over town looking for it!!! Thank you!!!! so much!!!! little sister!!!! Okay kids remember NOW is a perfect time to make a bit of art no matter where in the world you are  p;)