Stormin' Norman'

Another of my favorites (I have many) at the World Parrot Refuge, is Norman. He's an African Gray Congo. I don't know much about him yet, except he was a 'wild caught' bird and from there I think he was owned by a breeder. From the way his right wing continually droops (you can see it in the photo), I'd say it was probably broken at some time and never healed properly. A lot of birds are injured when being netted in the wild, and over half of them die before reaching "market..."

Norman does his own thing - he's a rather solitary fellow. He methodically goes after the shoes of anyone who invades his corner. One of the cleaners playfully responds by pretending to chase him and then he 'runs' (i.e. slowly) under the big cage for shelter. Perhaps it's all part of his game? A way to interact?

On our first meeting I didn't find him overly-aggressive so I gently offered my finger to touch his beak and see his response. He very gently took it in the tip of his needle sharp beak and bit me. Ouch! I'm not sure with Norman if it's meant entirely as an act of aggression or as a way of getting a reaction? But he's definitely not a bird who's been handled a lot in a way that he likes. His message is basically, Okay - I may find you mildly amusing, but don't bug me.

I go and say hi to him regularly and I've discovered some sounds he likes. He makes them to me and I make them back. I offer him tidbits of food but I haven't discovered his "to die for" treats yet that might help me win his trust.

It took a year to win the trust of France's little African Gray Timneh when she came to live with us. And she was hand-raised. So, given Stormin' Norman's background, it might take me ten or twenty or fifty years to accomplish this with him. But he's a parrot. He has time. Grays live something like 50 or 60 years as I recall.

I'll keep you posted, and perhaps I'll include photos of my bandaged fingers from time-to-time as I 'lose' some of the engagements along the way - ha ha..