When I stay with my cousin Rick in Peoria, I also share the house with an Amazon yellow-naped parrot named Paco. He’s still a wild bird at heart and can be dangerous if he wants to be. He has a very long, very sharp, curved beak. On my most recent visit, Rick was allowing Paco more time out of his cage. Hopefully, this goes well. If Paco is happy, life is good, but he can instantly change his mood and can inflict serious damage even though he knows the victim.
The Power of the High-Pitched Call
Paco has a varied diet, enjoying many of the foods that the humans in the household consume. He screams if he doesn’t get what he smells the humans are eating. The high-pitched and very loud obnoxious calls are effective.
For my snacks, I request popcorn—plain or cheese-flavored are my favorites. Rick goes out of his way to ensure I have everything my heart could desire. I enjoy popcorn as my afternoon writing session and evening TV watching snack.
However, I discovered that if I was going to enjoy a bowl of cheese-flavored popcorn, I had to share with Paco. He likes popcorn, too. One bowl for me, one big handful for him.
The Razor-Sharp Beak
I had to be careful when I put my handful of popcorn in his dish. One false move, and he could slash open my hand with his razor-sharp bill. I saw him sharpening his bill daily. I guess he felt it was important that his bill be ready just in case he needed to do any slashing and tearing. As a parrot, it was important to be prepared.
Initially, I used my left, less dominant, hand, just in case one had to be sacrificed. With repetition, I gained confidence and believed my right hand could be used and would remain unsliced.
I like Paco and want to stay on his good side. I long to pet his silky feathers, maybe feel him nuzzle me with his head. It’s good to have dreams….
In photographing him, I wanted to get a shot of the red feather by his tail. I was told that if you see the red feathers displayed, run! Red means danger. I’m glad I only got a glimpse.
Enjoy this photo of the handsome Yellow-naped Amazon parrot (Amazona auropalliata), Paco. I need to give him more popcorn! Appease the Parrot!
Discover More Animal Tales!
Do you enjoy learning about the fascinating and sometimes dangerous world of animals, from reptiles to parrots? Explore my blog archives for more stories and insights about my amazing animal experiences and the science behind them!