Let’s Talk Birds

The Boys

Let me introduce you to “The Boys” of Timbrook, who reside here at our Bed and Breakfast in Columbus, Ohio. My feathered family consists of five parrots all of whom are six years old. They are: Opu, an Umbrella Cockatoo; Ono, a Maximilian Pionus; Okole, a Double Yellow Headed Amazon; O’O, a Green Wing Macaw; and Charlie, our Moluccan Cockatoo. They are our best entertainers here at The Timbrook Guesthouse. They love performing for all the guests by laughing, talking and doing their best acrobatic antics in their cages and can delight anyone willing to hang out and enjoy their shows.

Crazy Bird Mom

Our kids call me The Crazy Bird Mom! It is probably fitting because they don’t know any other Mom’s walking around with birds on their heads. It’s not that I want them there. It’s just that they prefer to sit there and I got tired of fighting it. So, the day eventually came when even Peter stopped going to the park with me when taking one of “The Boy’s” for a walk! He was just too embarrassed to walk beside me while a bird was sitting on my ponytail. I guess I don’t mind because, like walking your ordinary furry friends, I enjoy walking with my exotic feathered friends! Just on my head instead of a leash!

Lifelong Passion

How our bird collection started was this: I always wanted an African Grey parrot. And only one. But I knew it was going to have to wait until our kids were basically grown and I wasn’t spending every night on bleachers somewhere watching a sporting event. I read and read and planned for the day I would bring home my feathered friend and that finally happened 6 years ago this spring. I found Hartman Aviary in Sunbury, Ohio and decided I would bring home my parrot from Steve’s flock of babies. Hartman Aviary invented the use of harnesses for birds of all sizes that you can attach to your bird and then take them outside without the fear of them flying off. It is a wonderful idea that is changing the way the world thinks about the clipping of birds wings. I knew that this was something that I felt strongly about, that I would never clip the wings of my bird. Birds were born to fly so I believe that you should do all you can to keep your pet bird(s) safe and with the ability to use it’s wings.

I was so disappointed to learn that spring that Hartman’s was having trouble with their mating pair of African Grey’s due to moving their nesting boxes. So there was not going to be any African Grey babies that year. Hooked on visiting the aviary when they held open houses, I quickly fell for a little baby cockatoo that I knew would be coming home with me. We brought Opu home in July 2011 and even though I thought we were prepared for our new family member, we quickly found we really had no clue what it meant to be the proud new parents of a baby cockatoo! Opu did not last very long in his wonderful cage inside our home. It wasn’t that he was loud, it was all the feather dust that drove both Peter and myself crazy. After two months inside, we both said he would have to be moved to a cage out in our heated shop where his messes would be much easier to clean up. However, since I am not out there all the time, I decided that he will need a brother. As the story goes… one brother turned into two brothers… which turned into four brothers. My flock was finally complete and who knew that each and every one of them would hold an abundance of personality that can make you laugh and smile every day.

When visiting our bed and breakfast, please allow time during your stay to let them put a smile on your face. It will be well worth it!

Mahalo,
Jill (a.k.a. Crazy Bird Mom)