Pirates 'n Parrots ( or Free-flying Birds) Stage I: a Real Stage With Actors

Abstract

T he soft, cloudy skies of an Oregon June herald the opening of the famous Portland Rose Festival. Among those performers who greeted the thousands of Festival visitors this year were Captain Chris Biro, his first mate Gudrun Maybaum and their parrots of ESENCE, (Endangered Species & Environments, National Center for Education). With the miniature replica of a masted pirate ship as a backdrop, Captain Chris and Gudrun presented their crew of 17 parrots, representing inhabitants of all continents. The Pirates of ESENCE travel the county educating the public on the wonders of parrots as well as the plight they face in the wild. Captain Chris asks, "Why do Pirates say "MRRRRR?" The answer "Because they Recycle, Reuse Reduce and Rethink!"

With flowing dark hair, a three day growth of beard and dressed in authentic 17th century pirate garb, Captain Chris commands the attention of the crowd. The most commonly asked question, particularly from the children, "Is that sword real?"

In the 25 minutes of presentation, before the crowd is allowed to hold and pet the birds, Chris talks about parrots, what makes them different from other birds, their plight in the wild, their special needs in the home and the lifetime commitment they require. Jack, a seven-year-old Blue and Gold Macaw lays comfortably on her back in his hands as he lifts her high to show the zygodactic foot of a parrot, "Two toes forward, two toes backward," he explains. "This is one of the things that makes a parrot different from most other birds."

Then Gudrun takes her beloved Janice, a six year old Green-winged

 

Macaw, out into the crowd while Chris explains how parrots have the ability to move both their upper and lower mandibles, which is another thing that makes them distinctive.

On command, Janice flies to Chris, swooping low over the heads of the crowd, her nearly four-foot long wingspan beating rhythmically to the gasps of the onlookers. The awesome sight of such a bird in flight cannot be adequately described in words, but the beauty of a creature free of the bounds of earth, at home in the air is something not soon forgotten.

A quick "Good bird," a smooch on the head and the promise of an almond entices Janice to show the crowd how she can indeed move her upper beak, with enough power to snap a broomstick should she wish.

Janice is the most experienced of the Pirates' flyers. Trained to work with them since she was six months old, Janice has known flight all her life. She will usually content herself to fly in across the heads of the crowd, her huge wings beating an audible hum.

Even with her experience and dependability, the unfamiliar noises of the water front startle her to flight and Janice banks toward the skyline of Portland. Fortunately, the Park Blocks of the Rose City boast many trees and Janice chooses the tallest in which to land.

Very comfortable with Janice's skills

 

of flight and landing, Gudrun positions herself under the tree calling frequently, enticing Janice down with promises of tasty treats. Janice is in control, she chooses the time she will come down after thoroughly surveying all within her sight, she decides the 7-Grain birdy sandwich is too delicious and she glides/hovers in for a nearly vertical, but perfectly executed, descent and landing on Gudrun's arm, quickly followed by a warm embrace.

Janice rides high atop Gudrun's arm as she returns to the joyous welcome of her peers. She spends the next few minutes in "time out" where she remains safely secured in her cage until her next performance.

Not for the faint of heart, the events of the next few minutes drive home the importance of having free-flighted birds only under properly trained conditions.

The Pirates' stage is only a few feet from the berth of the Portland Spirit, a luxury dining cruise ship which plies the waters of the Willamette River. As the Spirit, embarks on its afternoon cruise, the crew must sound the air horn, one long blast for departure, three short blasts to announce it is backing away from the dock. The unexpected noise startles all the birds and the flighted ones, Obie (a Patagonian Conure) and Red Claw (a Mitred Conure) bolt from their perches, soaring upward they meet and take flight side by side.

 

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