Odie
is the green conure with a red head. He is better known as a
Red-Masked Conure or Cherry Head. (Aratinga erythrogenys) We
estimate he is about 20 years old now. We acquired him in 1985.
He came to us in a very odd way. We had a friend that wanted
a sewing machine and we wanted a bird, so a trade was born.
He is opened banded meaning he was captured and imported. He
was not treated well by previous owners. Don't know if this
was because of stupidity or on purpose, but we feel that we
saved a life. We estimated that he was about 1-2 years old when
we got him. His species comes from a arid tropical region in
northwest Peru and southwest Ecuador. He has a totally different
personality compared to our other bird, Linus.
There are several of these birds that have
gathered and formed a flock in the San Francisco area. They
are fed and watched over by one man in particular. Mark
Bittner has taken the time to oversee
this wonderful flock. Click on Mark's name to email him. You
can also see his pictures of the birds, as well as reading about
his upcoming book. Another great site is The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.
One
added note: Mark Bittner had to say goodbye to the flock of
birds that he had grown so fond of and known so long. His condo
was being renovated, forcing him to move. The fate of the birds
is now in the hands of nature and hopefully in the hands of
a newcomer.
Mark
is also working as a consultant on a film documentary by
Judy Irving about the birds he knows so well. You can find
out all about it by clicking on the above link.
Linus is the newest
member to the family. He is an Illiger's Macaw (Ara maracana)
which is part of the mini-macaw family. He was about 3 1/2 months
old when we obtained him in August 1998 from a breeder that had
just about made up their mind to keep him since they had become
attached to him. He was totally hand-fed and raised. We finished
off the weaning process ourselves (something we DO NOT suggest for a
novice). The breeders needed a few days to say good-bye before
we could pick him up. If you don't have birds then you wouldn't
understand.
Linus is closed
banded, meaning he was born in an aviary, thus has never seen
the wild as we suspect Odie has. His species comes from extreme
northeast-Argentina; east-Paraguay; eastern and central parts
of Brazil
It is amazing
the mannerisms that one has picked up from the other. Didn't
think that Odie could be taught anything new. Just goes to show
you what a little competition can do!
Below are pictures
of Odie and Linus. Linus' baby pictures are here too!
