Spotlight on Parrots

Since it is Cinco De Mayo today, we thought this was a great day to highlight some of our fine feathered ambassadors. Wildlife Ambassadors actually started 15 years ago and was called Animal Ambassadors. I started with the help of my then 3 month old African grey parrot, Mowgli. Things have grown incredibly since then!


Mowgli is one of our most animated parrots- he loves to wave, sing, call the kitty, laugh, ring like a cell phone and make chicken noises. Mowgli is a very outgoing African grey and seems to enjoy children the most and as a matter of fact most times he will not talk to adults at programs which is quite funny! If you ask him if he wants to go to a school today, he shakes his head up and down with excitement. African greys are one of the most amazing of the parrot family. Their intelligence has been compared to dolphins and chimpanzees and their ability to mimic words and sounds is astounding. These beautiful grey birds can be found in tropical areas, wooded riverine habitats and oil-palm plantations in areas such as Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Kenya, Ghana, Cameroon and Congo. They love the oil-palm nut, various fruits and also grains.

Sarah, the umbrella cockatoo, is another one of our feathered ambassadors. Sarah was donated by her owners years ago when they felt she needed more attention. She is the oldest of our birds, in her early twenties. Sarah loves the limelight too and is a huge hit with her big "umbrella" of feathers on her head. A few years after Sarah came to Wildlife Ambassadors, it became quite evident that she had strongly bonded with our Wildlife Educator, Penny. She wanted to be with Penny all the time and so the decision was made for her to live with Penny but she continues to be a wonderful ambassador at schools, libraries and more. Umbrella cockatoos are found on several islands in Indonesia.

Our majestic macaws are the final two of our four beautiful avian ambassadors. Oliver, a greenwing macaw, came to Wildlife Ambassadors from the famous Rainforest Cafe restaurant in Tysons Corner when it changed hands and they had to find homes for all of the parrots residing there. Greenwings are stunning macaws and are the second largest parrot of the more than 350 different parrots in the world. Oliver turns 15 this summer along with Mowgli but that is truly just a teenager as these gentle giants can live 75 years or more! Oliver is the most important ambassador in our Journey to the Jungle program as he helps educate folks about the importance of tropical rain forests and how to help this severely endangered ecosystem. Balou, our blue and gold macaw was donated by a family when her owner died suddenly. She was just a baby at the time so she has spent most of her life with us. Blue and Golds are also native to Central and South American tropical rain forests. Macaws are the largest members of the parrot family and the most boldly colored. They live high in the canopy of the rain forest and feed on a variety of nuts and fruits such as Brazil nuts, guava, mangos and bananas. Their beaks are so strong they can crack a broomstick in half. Balou is considered the baby of our group but she will be 12 next month.
Balou is our clown, laying on her back, playing tug of war and showing off for anyone and everyone while Oliver is quite regal and handsome and loves to whisper HI and give big smooches. Balou and Oliver often play together outside in their aviary where Balou can be seen taunting Oliver and then he will go after her but a minute later they are cuddling and preening each other.
Parrots are amazing creatures and are truly the most intelligent animals we care for here at Wildlife Ambassador. They all have hook bills and special feet with two toes in front and two toes in back. They can use their feet like you use your hands- to hold food and to climb. They are also very social animals that mate for life and both parents are actively involved in rearing and protecting their young. Parrots are protected both through CITES and the Wild Bird Conservation Act. Habitat destruction and the pet trade have led to diminishing numbers and endangered status for most parrots of the world. Parrots are loud, VERY LOUD, messy and have the social skills of a 2 year old. We will provide for our 4 avian ambassadors for a lifetime which can honestly be anywhere from 50-80 years. They are destructive and we provide them with new toys, things to shred, exercise and playtime every single day. Parrots are not for most people and many parrots will bounce from home to home over the course of their lives. We feel fortunate to be able to share our lives with these amazing and intelligent birds. Look for all four of our birds this summer in the many libraries, camps and festivals where they will be appearing. Happy Cinco De Mayo!