But all that didn't prepare me for my first visit to The Real Macaw Parrot Clubs monthly meeting recently. After walking into the crowed but friendly room these fellow bird lovers rent in the Paramus VFW hall, I was immediately struck by all the colors surrounding me; glorious gold's and greens, beautiful blues and neon reds all blended together like a living rainbow.
And these were just some of the shirts worn by many of the clubs members.
But their pets were there, too in colors even more glorious.
I heard a SQUAWK, a SCREECH, and finally a scratchy- throated "Helllllo!" and came eyeball to eyeball with Nebish an 11 year old Yellow Naped Amazon perched proudly on owner Ann Petersons shoulder. With a snap of his beak he warned me not to get closer.
The 300-strong bird club had only a handful of members when it was founded in September 1988, says Annette Sherman. it's first president.
The clubs purpose, as stated in it's newsletter, is to "educate and learn about owning and caring for all types of pet parrots." In past meetings, They've invited speakers ranging from veterinarians discussing nutrition and training to a representative from the Bronx Zoo to a psychic who told them what problems their birds might have.
"All the other clubs were show clubs," Sherman said, "and we thought it would be a good idea to start an educational club... and to start to donate to avian medical research."
At last month's meeting, Dr. Beverly King, a homeopathic veterinarian from Chestnut Ridge NY, spoke on everything form harmful chemicals in some bird foods ("Those bright reds and greens you see in some foods are just not natural...") to animal acupuncture.
King was such a big hit that long after she left the stage, she was still besieged by people with questions on their minds and parrots on their shoulders. "I'm amazed at how many people are fed up with [traditional] medicine," King said, adding that she now has many clients who are looking into homeopathy a as way of healing their pets.
The club also has a newsletter that is full of interesting information, suggestions, book reviews, articles, and recipes. The 21-page December issue had information from the serious (myths and misinformation that could kill your bird) to the silly (Santa Bird's version of "The Night Before Christmas").
It also has a classifieds section, mostly consisting of birds for sale, birds wanted, or bird sitting, and an adoption program aptly called "Toucan Live as Cheaply as One."
But ask member Al Wegner where he got his first bird and you'll hear a surprising answer: A garage sale.
"Twelve years ago, I bought a cockatiel at a garage sale. Well my wife thought he needed a girlfriend, so we bought another cockatiel! And then they had babies" he said with a chuckle. Today, the Lake Hopatcong resident is a breeder and shares his home his home with his wife and more than 100 birds.
Another member, Donna Sleight of Dumont, has three parrots. There's Pepper, An Orange-Wing Amazon; Bizzi a Green Cheek Conure; and the star of the household, Chukeigh (pronounced "Chuckie"), a 10 year old African Grey.
If Chukeigh wants your attention, she'll say "Help! There's an armadillo in the room!" She might also so squawk out, "Do you want to buy a turtle?"
Sleight, who is the clubs editor and treasurer, sheepishly says that she taught Chukeigh these phrases when she didn't realize the birds capabilities.
The next meeting of The Real Macaw Parrot Club will be at 7:30 tonight at the Paramus VFW Hall on Winslow Place. The guest speaker will be a member of The R.A.R.E. Center for Tropical Conservation in Philadelphia, who will discuss, among other things, The World Parrot Trust. For more information, call Bonnie DeGeorge at 201- 265-1392.
You don't have to have a bird to join the club. Some members join because they want to get a bird but are not sure what kind would make a good pet. The club helps educate these potential bird owners because, as the adoption rules state, "it's a responsibility and commitment for many years to come."
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