Of Beak And Feathers

Fortune
28 April 1999 - 30 July 2004
Rest in Peace, My Son. You Will Never Be Forgotten

Hi! I am Fortune, the irrepressible Green-cheeked conure(Pyrrhura molinae)! I hatched out of my egg on 28 April '99, and came home with my mom and dad when I was 3 months old. We Green-cheeks are small parrots, and reach a length of about 10 inches. But do not be misled by our size, for we are very active birds with big personalities. In short, we are charming little turbos that need a lot of space, love and patience.

I live with my mom, dad and step-sister in Buffalo, New York. My humans are not easy people to live with, but I love them anyway and show my affection by attacking their toes, destroying their belongings and making a mess wherever I go. I am also darn good at giving LOUD kisses, which works well with a stern dad, especially after I chew the keys off his laptop. Mom gets a kick out of it, but she has to act all firm with me just to smooth dad's feathers.

Here I am, playing on the one place I am NOT supposed to be! I had to do jail time after this shot was taken, but not before I managed to taste the 'X' and 'Z' buttons ...

Mom spends her free time reading books and magazines, posting on bird message boards and surfing the Internet to learn how to be a good parront. Keeping a companion parrot requires a lot of research and commitment, and I am very lucky that my mom takes her role as birdy mom very seriously.

We require proper housing, a well-balanced diet, a certified avian vet, adequete lighting, as well as a truckload of toys and playgyms. Parrots are also very messy, even for a little guy like me! Nothing makes me happier than to toss or sling food during meal times, especially when mom serves me warm mash. If you visit me during dinner time, you can see my handiwork on the walls and windows and floors. My artworks are rather nifty, but my mom does not think so and laments about being a slave to me. I get NO credit for my talent, I tell ya!

Our upkeep is costly as well as time-consuming, so if you can spare neither time nor money, please do not adopt a parrot. There are many unwanted birds out there that need a home because their humans were not prepared for the costs, noise and mess. It is a deep insult to us, for we are extremely intelligent and perceptive, as well as breathtakingly beautiful. Living with a parrot is a privilege, not a right. I urge you to do your research before even considering a bird. It will save you a lot of trouble and us a lot of pain!

Mom .. get these stranglings off my pearch! MOM!!!

See those 2 birds taking over MY playgym? My mom fostered them for over a month when their previous owner did not want them anymore. She had way too many birds, and could not care for them properly so she had to find them new homes. A friend contacted my mom about this, and she felt sorry for those two poor birdies and took them in. This is a new problem that avian companions are facing, and that is MBS, which stands for Multiple Birds Syndrom. Fortunately, they are now in loving homes and adapting very well to their families. Many parrots do not get a second chance like my foster siblings did, and live their lives out in misery and abuse.

The little lassie with the orange blot on her forehead is Screech, a Half-moon conure (Aratinga canicularis). The other fella is Smokey, who is a Dusky-headed conure ( Aratinga weddellii). Screech was extremely loud and vocal for being only 9 inches long, which is characteristic of most Aratinga species. Smokey was very quiet and easy-going, and I took full advantage of it! I tried to nip his little feetsies every opportunity I get, but mom was very quick and would rescue that lily-livered wimp before I could get my beak on him. Mom and dad were very sad the day they left, and so was I ... although I would rather be eaten by a Harpy eagle than to admit that out loud. We Green-cheeks are full of attitude, and we love to strut around and show others just how tough we are!

Green-cheeks are not known for their talking ability, but I surprised my mom and dad by learning some words and phrases. In addition to being a top-notch whistler, I can say "Hewwo", "Comere", "Fortune", "What?!!", "Good bird" and "Whachadoing?". I could string words together, but only when I feel like it. When I am in a silly mood, I would burst out laughing just for the heck of it. Sometimes when I hear laughter on the telly, I chuckle along even though I have no clue what is so funny about it.

After 2 years of undisputed reign, mom finally decided that I am having another sibling. So without even bothering to consult me first, she went on her merry way and adopted another parrot.

So on Oct 1 '01, this goofy-looking white cushion of feathers with a funky hairdo arrived home. She is a Citron-crested cockatoo, whatever that is. To tell you the truth, she is a lot bigger than I thought! I was plotting to steal Nutri-berries and nuts from her bowl, but I am deciding to ignore her for now. Mom adopted her from Old World Aviaries. You can visit her at The Cuddle Corner. Let you prepare you in advance, her webpage is not all that.

If you are planning to adopt a Green-cheeked conure, please visit The Green-cheek Conure FAQ to learn and understand about our needs. It is the most informative site about Green-cheeks to date that mom could find.
Another cool site is Toolady.com which has links to an online birdie mall, message boards, avian behavioral experts and more ...
I also urge you to visit the Conure Board at Up At Six, and interact with other conure enthusiasts.

Do come by often, for I will be constantly updating and improving my webpage. There will be new links added, and more information included as we go along. I will also try to put up more pictures of myself.

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