Fur, Feathers & Scales : Quaker Parrot

I'm so excited to share some of my zoo animal friends with you in this new series.  I hope you'll enjoy it as much I do!

So, let me introduce you to Elvis the Quaker Parrot!!

 

Parrots are such cool animals!  Most are very long-lived.  A quaker parrot like this can live up to around 30 years, and Elvis is approximately 15 years old.  (Larger parrots, like macaws, can have a lifespan of 80 years!)  They have crazy strong beaks and eat fruits, seeds and nuts.  Elvis will do pretty much anything for his favorite foods, which are sunflower seeds, peanuts and bananas.  Sometimes when he eats bananas, he says "yum yum yum" in his cute little parrot voice.  He can also say "Good Morning, Elvis!" "bye bye," "how are you," "watchya doin," "wanna take a bath," and a few more. 

 

These birds live in the rainforest of South America, and build giant, communal nests.  They're like apartment buildings for birds.  And parrots will typically only have one mate their entire life. In captivity, parrots will bond with only a few people.  I happen to be one of those lucky few for Elvis.  He lets me preen his feathers, and he preens me by cleaning under my fingernails (they're not actually dirty--don't worry!), and he preens my hair.

 

 Parrots in general can be very loud, and some calls can be heard miles away.  They are also very smart. Parrots have an intelligence equivalent to a toddler, which is something to think about if you ever consider getting a parrot for a pet. Imagine having a super loud toddler that can fly and likes to shred wood for 80 years...it's not for everyone. :)

 

I love that I can bring my zoo job into the blog world. What kind of animal do you want to see next?