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Article published May 5, 2008 Bird Man’s parrots ‘can say just about anything’
By Victoria Porter Daily Times Correspondent
Bird sightings are common at Maryville’s Greenbelt Park, geese, ducks and occasionally even an African gray parrot and a red lory parrot.
Yes, that’s right. On a warm afternoon sightings of the exotic birds have become common.
I found the birds on a sunny bench perched on the shoulder and arm of their owner, Robert Malone.
Tre, a 14-year-old male African grey, examined me with a cocked head but didn’t speak. “He talks at home but is shy in public,” Malone said.
Scarlet, a 14-year-old female red lory, has no such inhibitions. “Get down,” she said excitedly while hanging upside down on Malone’s hand. He gently placed her on the ground. “She can say just about anything,” he said.
Coming to the park is a favorite activity for the birds and when it is their usual time to go, Scarlet follows Malone around the house making sure he doesn’t leave without her. “She tells you when she’s ready to go,” he said.
The trio have been coming to the park since Malone moved to Maryville four years ago. Scarlet now recognizes people and talks to some she knows.
“She mumbles a lot as we walk, she’s trying out new phrases,” Malone said. “When were out she says ‘pizza, pizza’ a lot and ‘Pizza Hut, baby.’”
Regular park-goers give Malone and the birds a familiar greeting and often refer to him as “The Bird Man,” a title Malone does not mind.
He has always been an animal lover and had as many as 15 pets at one time, but now that he is getting older they have passed away except for the birds.
“They will live longer than I will,” he said. “The lory will usually live about 30 years and the grey about 60. I’ve made arrangements so I know they will be taken care of if something happens to me.”
He considers Tre and Scarlet companions and they all co-exist. “They do their thing and I do mine. If I’m busy and Scarlet wants something, I tell her I’m busy and she tells me to shut-up,” he said with a laugh.
The birds eat mostly fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. In the wild the red lory eats nectar from flowers and plants and Malone supplements her diet with nectar powder. “They both like a graham cracker as a treat and eat steak and chicken sometimes, too.”
He has owned them since they were three to six months old and trained them to speak.
Although he loves the birds he cautions others about buying them as pets.
“Don’t get one to put it in a cage and leave it. It won’t work,” he said. “You have to interact with them and teach them, like kids. The become family members.”
If you do decide to add an exotic bird to your family, be sure to purchase it from a reputable dealer and make sure the bird is banded. This ensures it was born in captivity and is required by the federal government and many states.
“Night, night,” Scarlet said as I say goodbye to the trio.
“She has her ‘night, night’ and’ bye,bye’ confused,” Malone said.