PIWACKETT- THE SCARLET MACAW
“HELLO “ “HELLO” “POLLY WANTS A CRACKER”! Now that I’ve got that out of the way let me introduce myself. My name is PIWACKETT although all my friends call me “FULL OF RACKET”. I am a Scarlet Macaw and have been a member of Mindy’s Menagerie since its inception. A little bird told me that the powers that be would like for me to give you some history about myself and what it is I exactly do.
I don’t remember too much about my early childhood. My “bird certificate” shows I was hatched in 1989 and was an only child. Like most of us parrots, I am a “lefty” using my left foot to handle food and grasp and eat things like fruits, vegetables and for some strange reason only God knows, pieces of clay found on the banks of the river which by the way are delicious.
Before my flight feathers were fully developed dad literally took off. One moment he was perched on a branch in the Amazon rain forest. A second later he was gone. “Sidney”, a notorious “stool pigeon’, told mom that dad was working in a bird show in Central America and doing quite well. I don’t know if that’s true but I sure did miss him. Anyhow, mom took me under her wing and did her best to raise me. We lived with a small group of macaws who taught me how to live well and survive in a harsh world. When I was old enough to leave the nest I bid goodbye to mom thanked my friends and flew the coop towards the bright lights of the city where I looked to make my nest egg.
I don’t wish to brag, but I am a gorgeous bird. When preening myself in the mirror I see a striking scarlet feathered, svelte 2 pound magnificent specimen looking back at me. It’s no wonder that Bill Hoffman of Animal Rentals chose me over all the other macaws. Also, being a Scarlet Macaw that happens to be one of the largest parrots in the world didn’t hurt either. After a few months of training I became a fledgling member of Mindy’s Menagerie and a huge part of their animal shows.
With beauty comes attitude and I sometimes feel sorry for my coworkers. Like a 4 to 8-year-old child, I’m filled with energy and love to play, I but can also be a bit sassy. I am proud to say there is not a lock in the world that I can’t pick and share my special talent with my friends where we spend more time on the outside of our pens rather than inside. I have distinct likes and dislikes and if I don’t like what you say I can give you one heck of a bite. Just ask Mindy the monkey who won’t soon be taking any more of my peanuts without permission. I bore easily and when feeling a bid down, I let everyone know with very loud screeching, screaming and temper tantrums. That’s why I’m glad to have plenty of companions like my macaw friends Carlos the Catalina Macaw and Simone, Ruby the African Grey Parrotand Tootsie the Green Cheek Amazon. On days when we are not working we spend hours chattering, whistling and teaching each other funny noises and human phrases.
You know, I guess I really did reach the top of the pecking order in my life the day I joined Mindy’s Menagerie.
