Introducing my feathered babies...Tiny the Quaker, Darla the Yellow Nape Amazon, and Sonny the Cockatiel.

I have always had a love of birds and would feed the wild birds and watch with my Audubon in hand, excited to identify a new one at the feeder. But I really wanted to touch them, feel their soft-looking feathers. My sister gave me a pair of older budgies that needed a home. I rushed out and bought books on budgies. I would put my hand in the cage several times a day for months to try and hand tame them as the book suggested, but wasn't having much luck. Finally I bought myself a Christmas present, a 3-month old Cockatiel (Sonny) from a local pet store. I worked on getting him to step up (with success this time) and was "hooked." I began frequenting the local bird shows and found Tiny, a darling 1-1/2 yr old Quaker. Then a couple of years later, purchased Darla, a huge Yellow Nape male Amazon (8-1/2 years old) from the same bird show.

Tiny is now 5 years old. He began his plucking about 2 years ago when I left him home with Dad for 3 days while I visited family. He continues to keep his chest and under-wing area bare regardless of the medicines and home-remedies we've tried. But it hasn't changed his sweet, loving attitude.

He is a rather quiet guy (gal?) as far as Quakers go. A lot of his words and phrases are whispered, but he can give a loud warning if he spots a cat outside. Sitting on Mom's shoulder is his favorite thing to do and his favorite treats are a bite of the dog's canned Alpo and Shed Spread Margarine. There's no holding him back when a can or carton is in sight.

Darla, now almost 11, has finally enjoys his head and neck rubs. With the exception of a 3-week hormonal period last spring, he has turned into a real sweetheart. He was purchased by a breeder when he was 5 years old, but after a few years of non-production, he was put up for sale at the bird show as a pet. I'm sure his first five years were spent in a loving home because he stepped up immediately and knew how to give gentle kisses. He talks a little, but mostly when he is begging to share our lunch or dinner.

Hopefully in another few years, he'll trust us enough to open up and talk more. But if he doesn't, that's okay.

Sonny, almost 5, is a very active, affectionate and vocal male Cockatiel. He whistles "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" pretty much on key and tells every bird he sees whether it's a magazine photo, the bird in the mirror, or a real live bird, that they are "pretty, pretty, pretty." He loves his toys with bells attached. If he feels neglected, he rings his bells very loudly and persistently.

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