Bird: The Voice of Out-U-Go!
Likes: Bread, millet, water, post-its
Dislikes: Dogs, cats, people
Secretly Loves: When people come in and she can squak at them
If you call the Oak Park & Chicago office, you’ll speak to one of our fine office staff. In the background you’ll no doubt hear the musical stylings of Bird, resident cockatiel and curmudgeon. Before coming to us, Bird was a stray, living on the rough streets of Chicago with only her wits to protect her. In April of 2002, David found her on his deck and put out his hand for her. She flew right over and landed on his finger and been with us ever since. Please wish her a happy 5 year anniversary!
Bird enjoys her weekly millet snack and loves a good piece of bread. We encourage her to eat fruit and vegetables because a complete cockatiel diet involves a variety of foods, but she’s fairly stubborn. She does like a good cuttlefish bone, which helps keep her beak short and provides calcium.
Cockatiels are native to Australia. They are small parrots from the Cockatoo family and are among the most popular pet birds. They can live 15 to 20 years, are very smart, and can learn tricks. Bird does not have any “skills,” though she is a very efficient paper shredder.
Some cockatiels can be very friendly, but friendliness is not Bird’s strong suit. Although Bird does have her favorite people, she’s a bit of biter with most humans. So if you stop by our office, keep your fingers away from her beak!
For more information about the care and feeding of cockatiels, check out the National Cockatiel Society.
