Buffalo Parrot

First off I will tell you a little bit about our family and where we live. There are four of us;  Me, my wife, son & daughter.  We grew up & live in the Buffalo, NY area "Southtowns".  Buffalo is a great place to live, with great resilient people.  We have Buffalo Bills games & Buffalo Sabres games to always..Uuh, sometimes entertain us!  There is Niagara Falls just north of our city.  Canada Borders our city via "The Peace Bridge".  We have two great lakes & one major river surrounding the city.  Fishing is very plentiful!  There are many parks & great places to eat too.  Buffalo original/classic foods include Chicken Wings, Pizza, Beef on Weck Sandwiches, Ted's Charbroiled Hotdogs, Submarine Sandwiches, Loganberry & Beer Battered Haddock fish fry's(Fridays)...and let us not forget we are home of Buffalo's own GooGoo Dolls!!  On the down side we get smacked with Blizzards, high taxes & less employment opportunities.  The population decline in this area the last 20 years has been significant.  Oh well, no where is perfect I guess. 

Now about our Parrots.  Growing up I never had much interest in birds or Parrots.  About 15 years ago I had my first Parrots, two Budgies "Petey & Paula".  They were great but I didn't take them too seriously.   After experiencing a Rose Breasted Cockatoo a few years back at a local pet store our family got hooked on the Parrot world.  Before you knew it we were all doing research on Parrots and all the different species.  My wife decided on a Senegal Parrot after much debating.  She origanally wanted to adopt a Pionus but she  found a Senegal breeder in Ohio and set up a date to visit. 

A little after I got home from work one day she showed up with "Kito" a young Senegal Parrot H.D. 4/2/07.  Senegals originate from Africa.  Right off the bat he was so charming and we just couldn't get enough of him!  What really got me was his love for Hot Peppers!  I love hot foods & was amazed when I introduced him to his first Cayenne Pepper!  He chowed the whole thing down & was like he was in heaven!  Still this was my "wifes" Parrot.  Kito is still the center of our flock!  He loves to be out of his cage and loves affection/attention!  He makes a clucking noise to get our attention.  He also makes a call that sounds just like Tarzan!  This cracks the whole family up!  He also recently TALKED!  He says hello & Momma.  Does the "cat call whistle to perfection!  What an experience that was!  Soon after I started doing more research & decided on a Pacific Parrottlet for my Parrot.  I couldn't be more happier in my decision.  Again I found a breader in Ohio.  I couldn't afford the time off of work, so worked it out to have her flown here.  There were some delays and I became very worried!  I really didn't like the idea of her flying in the first place!  She was only a month and a half at this time.  We showed up at the airport at the time of arrival...Again delays!  An hour and a half later she finally arrived.  Scared ..we looked into her carrier.  What we saw was a completely calm prissy little girl standing proud on her perch!    We brought her home and she adapted very quick!  Tupi H.D.6/18/07 bonded with Daddy within a few days.  She is going through a "nippy" stage now but hope this passes.  Pacific Parrotlets originate from Central & South America.  Her favorite foods are Seed, Figs, Rasberries, Kiwi, Hot Peppers & Broccoli. When Kito starts ringing all his bells she goes absolutely crazy!  Very funny!  She does a thing we call the "Tupe da Loop".  She will twirl upside down over & over!  She will also sometimes run in a "Gerbil Wheel" which  is too funny to watch!  The funniest thing she does is play soccer with a birdy ball.  After a while she will start to get mad & pick it up and throw it around!  She definitely has a big personality!  She just loves to have her head scritched  & gets jealous when I play with Kito.  She will start squawking at me!  About 3 months after getting Tupi we were at a reputable place near us looking at some birds and saw 2 Peach faced lovebirds.  They were so adorable!  We looked at eachother and?...Well they are with us now!  They are not "hands on" Parrots but is awesome just watching the 2 of them interact!  Tarzan & Jane we named them!  H.D.5/1/07.  Jane is a true escape artist & Tarzan Does a funny dance I call The "Unga Bunga" dance.  No regrets at all getting them & their colors are pleasing to the eye!  They love seed, figs and some fruits/veggies with a high seed content.  Peach Faced Lovebirds come from Africa.  I swear I thought the Lovies would be the last in our flock!  Oooh, how I was wrong.  My wife started talking/researching Cockatiels.  She kept stating that she was just interested.  This just brought my motivation up to get one of these guys!  Again we were at the same reputable place and saw her "Miah" H.D.7/21/07.  Alone, I put my hand to the cage and she slowly/hesitantly made her way towards  me.  I remember thinking how healthy she looked and she was still very young.  We left the place to do more shopping and I commented this to my wife.  She responded by saying....Do you want to go back and get her?  Before you knew it we were back and got her!  She also adapted very good.  Miah is a very sweet girl!  She still needs to be worked with more, but does enjoy time out of the cage.  She is a very good singer!  She does a very good "cat call" whistle!  Chewing seems to be her thing.  She really seems to enjoy eating my Parrot Mush & of course seeds.  She also eats pellets with no problems.  Cockatiels originate from Australia & are a great Parrot for the beginner.  Well we definitely THOUGHT our flock was set after Miah..  NOPE!  We wen't out looking for this Masked lovebird that had been separated from it's mate.  We thought about this bird for over a week and decided we would bring it into our flock.  When we got to the store it was sold.  I was releived and ended up going to the reputable pet store we frequent often to do some Parrot shopping. A Green Cheeked Conure happened to catch my eye!  Ah, Oh!  He was a healthy and handsome looking fellow.  He was all by him self and that probably sealed our fate!  We bought him on spot.  "Chico" H.D. 10/15/07 is very affectionate and not hand shy at all.  Chico is very playful & always on the GO!  He likes to eat just about everything.  This South American Parrot is also pleasantly quiet!  He likes our Mush Meal, pellets, some seed and just about everything.  A few months later We took a road trip to Penfield, NY & stopped in at BIRDS UNLIMITED.  Awesome store & great staff!  WELP..the wife came home with a male Lineolated Parakeet "Chile" H.D. 6/15/07 and the author a male Bourke's Parakeet "Aussie" H.D. 10/16/07!  They handled the long road trip great and settled in nicely.  Hopefully this is it for a while..LOL.  Chile is becoming more hand tamed with his mom & is a joy to watch.  He is a vary good eater.  He eats just about everything!  This Cent/South American Parrot loves to climb all over.  Aussie is a very pleasant addition.  He is starting to show more color and is much more active.  He eats REALLY well & is a great singer.  This Australian Parakeet seems to really enjoy Beans!  As time went by we wanted to add a "play" buddy for Chico.  We took another road trip to Rochester and first stopped at Second Chance Bird Rescue.  What an awesome place and the staff was very friendly!  We then headed over to Birds Unlimited to see a Black Capped Conure I was interested in.  Sure enough we got him!  "Julio" H.D. 12/24/07 seems to be really enjoying his time in his new flock!  He is currently housed with Chico our Green Cheeked Conure.  At first they got into a scrap but now just preen the heck out of each other!  This South American Parrot is a bit selfish, Is quite the thief & tends to bully Chico sometimes.  Chico stands for himself well & this has seemed to diminish a bit.  Julio is also about "playing"!  He is a very clean Parrot & loves to bath/groom.  On our anniversary we got a female Budgerigar "Anni" H.D. 1/1/08.  She is a cutie pie who loves corn & beets.  She is bonding with her mate "Aussie" really well.  She is a very good eater, eating a variety of foods.  Next we added 2 Indian Ring Necked Parakeets Taj & Mahal H.D. 4/15/07.  We bought a cage from a very nice lady in Buffalo and saw them there.  She stated she wanted to give them up because her MANY Macaws really intimidated them.  About a week later we decided to re home them with us!  They really seem much more at ease & happy with us.  They are great eaters and Mahal talks up a storm!  Taj is a little bossy, and somewhat of a screamer, but they are such a joy to have!  Last but not least we "stumbled" upon a Scarlet Chested Parakeet at a great shop we go to.  Being so beautiful and rare in our Area, we had to get him/her!  Sydney H.D. 7/6/08 is such a sweety!  He/She is a varacious eater!  Is the first one at the food bowl.  Sydney loves the big flight cage and is getting along great with His/Her mates Anni and Aussie. We really wanted some "bigger" Parrots but our living situation will not accommodate that.  Maybe in the future.  We are more than satisfied with our "smallish" Parrot flock!  A Parrot is a Parrot, from Pygmy Parrots, Parrotlets and Budgies to Macaws and Cockatoos....  They all share similar likes and habits.  Last but not least we got a surprise in May, 2009.  Our Lovebirds Tarzan & Jane decide to have babies!  They are BP and Chance and are doing wonderful!  2/23/10 our Cockatiel Miah passed a way during surgery because she was egg bound.  This deeply saddened us and will always love and miss our Miah.  A few weeks later we adopted a Male Cockatiel named Squiggy from a rescue organization.  He is doing great and is a wonderful joy!

Though we have purchased parrots through Breeders or Pet Stores in the past, we recommend seeking a Parrot through a rescue first if at all possible!  There are just way too many homeless Parrots at rescue organizations in need of a good home, and if we knew then what we know now we would have gone that rout!  Just keep this option open!

We try not to give our Parrots to much seed and also add just as much, if not more pellets.  Many of our Parrots only eat Pellets in the A.M.  We also add in the morning our dehydrated fruit/veggie blend that we make.  The prepared meals are in the evening.  There are some supplements we add (in moderation) to there food.  They are MSM, Calcium, Brewers Yeast, Pro Biotics, Flax seed oil, Cyclops, Super Green food formula & Cod Liver Oil.  Research these supplements before adding to your birds diet. A good Avian Veterinarian is a must.  Do not add supplements to your Parrots water as it can make it rancid.  We also add Lemon/Lime Juice to there water for extra Vit C & to help keep bacteria growth to a minimum.  About 2 times a week we will give our Parrots Herbal Tea in place of there water.  This is natural to Parrots & healthy.  You can find Herbal Tea made specifically for companion birds.   Enjoy Parrots..they are a very special, intelligent & unique species that will always amaze & entertain their owners.  Remember a parrot or any pet bird is not something you just keep in a cage, throw seed at and forget about.  They require fresh fruits, veggies, toys, attention and human interaction.  Just like our "attack" dog Zeus, they are always ready for attention and there to greet you when you come home!  Our Family really wanted to promote Parrots, Esp in our area.  There just doesn't seem to be much of them or much info about them here.  So here it is!  Hope all will enjoy this site as much as we have building it!!!!  Below are some PICTURES & at the bottom Our Flock↓ VIDEOS!           

 Administrator/Author(left) & Chief Moderator/Editor(right)

    Our visit to the Bird Kingdom in Niagara Falls, Canada!  Click the picture to view our pics from this trip!

Paula and Petey, my Budgies from long ago!  Sorry for the bad Picture quality

 SEARCH BUFFALO PARROT!

We are proud to have helped rehome two lovebirds in Oct, 2008!  They are in a new loving forever home now!

Josie, a Masked Lovebird

Petey, a Peach Faced Lovebird

This is Stanley & Poppy!  Along with another volunteer we helped to obtain these beauties prior to their trip to Second Chance Bird rescue..

This is Paco, a 4 year old Severe Macaw that we are sponsoring.  Paco is currently residing at Second Chance Bird rescue until we can someday bring him home when conditions are right...

The Hawaiian shirts the author wears with his Parrots are purchased from Bluelittlewolf Hawaiian shirt shack.  Awesome quality, service and prices...We just love em!

You wanna tangle with Him?????  Didn't think so!                                

Feel free to leave a comment about the above photos & Videos! ..Sorry the Vids are not the clearest!                                                                              MENU              Back To Top