R2 is a sweet little Meyers Parrot who was gifted to me by my neighbors, joining my little household on March 31, 2006.
R2 doesn't really care for women, her previous captive humans didn't have the time to provide her with the attention she requires, and, of course, there was the incident with Bessie (who tried to bite off her beak competing for food).
Through bird-sitting or bird-janitoring (as I call it), R2 has bonded with me.
Miguel and R2 have been friends for more than a year, so there's no issues of jealousy .. just more work for Bird Janitor®.
I think people should name all their children with meaningful strings of letters, numbers and punctuation. It would make Human Communication and Information Processing all the more interesting.
Actually R2 is short for R2D2 .. her repertoire of whistles and sounds would make George Lucas proud!
Then there's the what up with Bessie.
Specifically, if there was that beak biting incident, just why has Bessie found a place here.
Another oddball story.
Bessie moved here in August 2009 (the exact day escapes me) after a more than four-year stint of me as her Bird Janitor®, walking up the road with Miguel in tow, twice a day. First to put her outside, clean her cage and feed her. Later to bring her back inside and feed her.
It was announced that Bessie's people are moving to another state and she would not be joining them. Bessie was to be placed in a bird sanctuary to live out her remaining days of parrothood.
I protested that I'd miss her, as I'd grown quite fond of the bird who bit through my nose on first meeting to one who had become a good friend (albeit a guarded friend). And, of course, I'd make room for her.
So, one August morning, I packed up Bessie's things, her cage, aviary, food and whatnot, and she made the move a quarter mile down the road.
So, proper introductions are due. Bessie is an African Grey parrot. Age uncertain, though said to be approaching 35 years. She was a rescue from a home in Denver, Colorado, where she was exposed to drugs and alcohol. She spent many years with her past family, bonding only with two of them. She was aggressive to anyone and everyone else.
Bessie now spends her days in her aviary on my patio, next to Miguel.
Bessie has a huge vocabulary and, unfortunately, has passed some of her more colorful words onto Miguel. But they're just words, so I don't care (just so long as nobody wants to wash my mouth out with soap).
Prior to her move here, it had taken me more than two years to even hold Bessie on my hand to transfer from her cage to her aviary (previously I used a broom handle because she likes the taste of human flesh... and bacon). Since she's been here, she's become quite affectionate and loves to be cuddled and kissed.
So I guess she can stay. I don't have to ask mom if I can keep her.