My New Baby :)

Look who followed us home from the bird store. :)



This is our new baby - a four month old Meyer's Parrot. They belong to the Poicephalus family which also has the more famous Senegal Parrot. We don't know yet if it is a boy or a girl - but I strongly suspect it's a boy. We will pick an official name when we get the DNA testing back but so far we've been calling him/her Scooter.

We had been looking around and considering various species as a second bird, going every couple of weeks to visit a great bird store in our area. This store is awesome because most of the birds are outside of their cages so they can be handled easily. They have a GORGEOUS Moluccan Cockatoo there who is a total lovebug - like most Cockatoos are. He lets me pet him under his wings and everything. He whispers at me like a little Romeo and last time I was there I was rewarded with an "I Love You"! I was so flattered! :) I'd take him home in a heartbeat but I know a Cockatoo would kill my asthma - they are VERY dusty birds.

That bird store has just about every kind of bird you could imagine so it's a good place to "test drive" the different species. You can hear their various calls (that store can get LOUD!), see how they interact with other birds (the Macaws are so playful!), how they cope with lots of people walking by, handling them etc.

I've been doing lots of research so I knew which few types of birds would be suited to our home. The Poicephalus are a great group of birds - and I think the Meyer's are the best of the best for a home that has children. They are playful but not insanely so, they have a pleasant voice (mostly beeps and peeping sounds), they are not very big, they don't tend to become one person birds, they aren't constantly demanding attention (like a Cockatoo would). All around great birds.

I think Meyer's Parrots often get passed by because they aren't as flashy colored as many other birds. (But if you give them a second look then you will see how beautiful they actually are. These photos don't do him justice at all.) Last weekend at the bird store I almost didn't notice the two little Meyer's Parrots. We were about to head out and go home when I saw them. I could instantly tell that our little birdie was attracted to us. I'm a great believer in letting your bird choose you if at all possible - that way everyone is happy. Birds have strong preferences in people and if they like you alot right off the bat then it is a good sign.

Well, this is the little guy that chose us. In fact he like us so much he tried to regurgitate some food for us right away. Sweet huh? LOL! Here he is on the toy basket in our birdie play area, eating a piece of carrot.



I think it is adorable when birds use their feet to hold things.



I love his little brown baby eyes. They will become an amber red as he matures.



Lucy thinks the new bird is...okay. I can tell she wasn't well socialized with other birds but I think she is open to the idea. And the little Meyer's is being sweet and respectful to her so it's working out great so far. :)