Birdie Come Home, an Obnoxious Amazon Parrot

Birdie Come Home

Guest Author: E. Margareta Griffith

Sally Bartlett’s recent article, “Heartwarming Story of Dog Reunited with Owner,” on PetsAWW.com website, reminded me of a bird who rivaled the famous dog, Lassie, for loyalty. Fluttering and squawking in my Central Florida yard was an Amazon Parrot being intimidated by a neighborhood cat. The poor bird was so upset he willingly hopped into the tiny finch cage which was the only shelter I could offer.

I began calling around to local veterinarians and pet stores, looking for the bird’s home. I found out quickly from a friend and the reaction of the pet store I contacted that a stray Amazon parrot means nothing more than easy money to less scrupulous people with some knowledge of birds. I did not want the parrot with me any longer than necessary; his main goal for our relationship seemed to be biting me. Luckily, my friend knew more about parrots than I and was willing to give our stray either a temporary or forever home, depending on whether or not we could find his people.

Despite the best efforts of my friend and her husband, the parrot did not adjust. He remained angry at his human caretakers, the other parrots in the home, and the world in general. We were eager to get rid of him, but not just to anyone looking to make a profit. We felt even an obnoxious, nippy, loud, foul-mouthed bird deserved a real home.

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One morning I just took my phone in hand and waited until the local animal control agency could talk to me about the bird. It turned out the bird’s people had contacted Animal Control. As the bird flies, the parrot had lived very close to my house. The only reason his people had missed the signs I posted was people travel by roads and go around, not over fences, so I had the signs in all the wrong places.

My friend reported to me she knew immediately these were the bird’s own people, not opportunists out to sell a bird they had not raised and knew nothing about. The bird had a clean enough vocabulary in Spanish, the preferred language in his old home. And once he saw his own people, all signs of aggression vanished. The poor bird just wanted his own home.

“Birdie Come Home” was written by Guest Author: E. Margareta Griffith

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Birdie Come Home, obnoxious Amazon Parrots need homes too! #wildlife Share on X

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