Welcome to.....

We're glad you stopped by Owens' Weyr, home of our talking parrots.  Here, you will meet our feathered friends:  Harley, a greenwing macaw; Phoenix, a Catalina macaw; Koko, a Congo African grey; Dash, a Quaker parrot; Tooie, a Mollucan cockatoo; and Jojo, a normal gray cockatiel. We've provided some information on each of them. You'll find lots of pictures, and other parrot links and stuff. For commentary and pictures of kids and parrots as pets, click here .

With the exception of Jojo, all of our birds came to us as adults. Here are some words about second-hand parrots.

This page is dedicated to my husband, Rich. When we first met, he thought (like I used to think) that birds were stupid, dirty, and loud. I'm glad that we both learned differently.... well, except for the loud part... no way to fix that. This page is also dedicated to our wild and free cousins.
 

 

 

KOKO:

 


 Koko was our first "big" guy--he is a Congo African Grey. He not only talks and seems to understand many words and phrases, he also mimics household sounds precisely, and correlates them with the human actions that cause the sounds. If he sees one action taking place -- he produces the sounds and human words that accompany it.  Koko is now 18 years old.  His favorite foods are almonds, grapes, and grains. He is a wonderful companion. We've been together for 13 years now.  He can read our moods and emotions, and reacts to them appropriately. Ever have an animal see you cry and ask you 'Whazza matter?' That is my Koko Grey.

For a few more pictures of Koko, click here.

HARLEY:


 Here is Harley, a Greenwing macaw. He is 12 years old, and he also talks.  He had a bad start in life, but has learned to love humans again.   Harley enjoys having a shower, screaming when  we're on the phone, and playing with his toys.  (He has more toys than Bill Gates!)   Of all of my birds, he is the one most bonded to me. He also gave me permanent scars when he first came here. Macaws are not for everyone. If you have patience and courage, however... they are magnificent  companions.

For a few more pictures of Harley, click here.

PHOENIX:



Phoenix is our third large bird. She is a 13 year old Catalina macaw.  (A Catalina is a hybrid -- a cross between a scarlet macaw and a blue-and-gold.)  She is very 'user-friendly'.... she loves children, plays peek-a-boo and ball, and talks as well as Koko.  She also hollers just like Xena the Warrior Princess.  She is not a morning person.... she tells the other birds to shuddup when they start making noise in the mornings! We are just happy that she seldom screams like most macaws do.

More pix of Phoenix.......


This is our greenest family member --- Dash!
He came to us because his former family wanted
a new home for him.  He is a Quaker parrot, also
known as a Monk Parakeet. He is a native of South
America. He is also a very talkative and lively and 
comedic member of our family. He is small, but
he has a large 'tude!  His vocabulary is astounding, 
and like his larger 'siblings', he uses words in context.

We've made a web page just for Dash. He might be
small, but he is an awesome little guy!
 

Here is Tooie, our newest family member. He is an approximately 15 year-old male Mollucan cockatoo.
He has an adorable speaking voice, except of course for his screams, which can make your ears bleed -- I am not making this up! We are working on building up mutual trust, a process which may take years.
For Tooie's web page, please click here.

 

Our avian Vet:

I can't say enough about these fine folks, and the
wonderful care they give. If you live anywhere
near the St. Louis area, they are the best in the
region!

 

About our flock:

Koko, Harley, Phoenix, Tooie, Dash and Jojo get along pretty well, although we don't let them interact on a physical basis. They've been learning different words and sounds from each other. Like human siblings, they also get jealous if 'brother' is getting more attention. 

Parrots can live upwards of 100 years.  We're looking forward to hearing them screech, beg for treats, and demand kisses for a long time to come.  To keep them healthy, they're provided a balanced diet of pelleted food (Pretty Bird Select and Zupreme), fresh fruits and veggies, and they always share our evening meals.  The little cannibals really love chicken!  We never give them chocolate, or avocados... both are toxic to birds.

If you are interested in a parrot as a pet, we strongly urge you to do some research first. Each species has its own characteristics, some of which can be hard to live with.  Parrots are forever-two-year-olds, with all the intelligence, demands for attention, emotional needs, naughtiness, and sociability of human children.  They require all the things that our  featherless kids do.... love, a set of rules, healthy food, toys and stimulation, a clean environment, and occasional visits to the vet.  Also, no matter what species you buy, your parrot may never learn to talk. We hope that you love them despite this.

We've included some links below to various sources where you can learn more about the different parrot species. A good video is "Look Who'sTalking Now".

 

 


Why are we playing the theme music from "Jurassic Park" on this page?

There is recent scientific evidence that parrots, and all other birds, may be the descendants of T. Rex and company.

National Geographic Magazine features the bird and dinosaur link in its July, 1998 issue.

Click here for another article on the subject, from the University of California, Berkeley.


 



 
 


 Dr. Irene Pepperberg is a pioneer in the study of animal
 intelligence and communication. Her protege, Alex (shown
 here sharing a tender moment with the Doctor), could count
 objects, knew the colors, and could also name objects and 
 request toys. Visit their home page to learn more about this
 amazing African Grey. Alex left this world in September 2007. 
  We will miss him, and always remember his achievement in 
  teaching us all the intelligence of these amazing avians.


 

Some favorite parrot links:


Parrot Talk
Info, articles, and mailing lists for most 
parrot species.
Wingwise:
Everything you need to know about health &
emergencies.  Kathleen Smith's site.
The Real Macaw:
Cool site with lots of parrot info, plus links
to many other sites.
Another Good Source for Parrot Info:
Birds n Ways: Lots of pictures, inform-
ation, and great links to other parrot pages.

 To subscribe to THE best parrot-related email list on the Web, visit All Parrots.
You will find the most knowledgeable group of bird folk
anywhere on the Internet on this list.


Bird Talk Magazine
Everything for the parrot fan. Great articles, tips on choosing the parrot who's right for you, health information, beautiful pictures, and where to find a breeder, parrot club, or bird show near you.

Mariah is missing. Please us help find her:

Has your bird been lost? Tips for recovery here.
You may also join this email list (Bird911) where a nationwide
SOS will be sent out to thousands of email subscribers.

Art:


Werkes of Art
If you love art and animals, you'll love this page.
Artist will create custom portraits of your pets or 
family, or you may purchase limited edition prints.

Down in the Country

Beautiful portraits of your pets, children, 
cars, motorcycles, mother.... whatever you want.
I have one of Jackie's art works.
See it here.

 

Conservation Bird Links:



 


World Bird Sanctuary:
Based in the St. Louis area, this organization 
is dedicated to the conservation and 
rehabilitation of raptors, songbirds, and parrots. 
They were instrumental in reestablishing peregrine 
falcons in Missouri. Please pay them a visit--and 
perhaps send them a donation or become 
a volunteer--and help make our world a more
beautiful place.

I am a volunteer at the World Bird Sanctuary. In February 2009 we were honored to release back to
the wild a rehabbed great horned owl, in memory of my husband Rich. Here is the tale of that wonderful day.



Please visit The Gabriel Foundation.
They provide medical attention and help for 
unwanted and/or abused parrots, and feature
an adoption service.

 
 

The World Parrot Trust:
An organization dedicated to 
the conservation and protection
of parrots in the wild, through 
education, and habitat restoration.

 
 

Each time you click on this site, their advertisers donate 
money to save acres of the rainforest. 

 

 

 

Sue's E-mail


This page created in loving
memory of our very first 
Feather Friend... Cricket,
aka 'Little Bird'.
Your song awakens God
now, and your cheerful
spirit makes  Her smile,
but your heart will
always be here, with us.

 

Birdie and aurora pages were designed by Sue Evans.

Please visit our Aurora Borealis Page!

Page last updated 20 July 2010.
Copyright 2001-2010

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