This article begins a series that I hope will help people understand the long-term relationship we develop with the members of the parrot family. Because of their long life spans (sometimes as long or longer than our own) and their high intelligence (several detailed studies place some members of the parrot family on par with chimpanzees, dolphins or a 3 to 5 year old human) these animals become more like part of the family. With the healthy life spans these birds have they are one of the few pets that can be with us all of our lives. Our relationships with them can change over the years and become what we make of them.

I first saw a Dusky Pionus in 1988 shortly after we opened our store - then called Isles Pet Supply. I was at the breeder's house that I had known for several years to pick up baby cockatiels for the shop when I noticed this very pretty, unusually marked bird perched in a tree in his study about 15 feet away. I had worked with the U of M Raptor Rehab Project from 1981 until 1987 and my first thought was that this bird was some type of small falcon that I was unfamiliar with. After taking a closer look at the bird I could tell that it was a member of the parrot family that I had never seen or heard of before. Considering that even back then I had worked with parrots for about 17 years and the fact that I had not seen a picture or even heard of this bird was very interesting to me. At this time I had seen a number of Maximillian Pionus and a few White Capped Pionus as well as one photo of a Bronze Wing Pionus - this bird looked very different in coloration yet somewhat similar to them in body shape. Well, after learning about this bird (the breeder was keeping her as a pet as she was his first successfully bred Dusky Pionus) that was named "Pea" I decided that this was going to be the next type of bird I would own as a pet. Pea actually laid Merlin's (I decided to name the little bird after one of the rarer small falcons that we would see once in a great while at the Raptor Center as well as after an African Grey that I took care of for several years) egg the following summer in June of 1989 and I took him home when he was 3 weeks old.

Merlin was as different from the few other Pionus that I had worked with (wild-caught Maximillians and White Caps) as he was from the cockatiels that I had started out on my life long relationship and eventual business with birds. While they were very shy and would go into fits of huffing that would seem like they were severely hyperventilating when anyone would get to close to them. Merlin on the other hand was into and interested in everything and everyone from the time that he could stumble across his incubator to investigate it. My friends were amazed at how fearless and playful this bird was. He would play and wrestle with anyone who was interested in spending the time with him. Once he ran out of energy he would put his head down, puff up his feathers and butt his head into them to let them know that it was now time to pet him.

Merlin remained this way for about the first two years of his life. He learned to talk a little - from friends primarily as I had very little interest in teaching him to talk having lived with the before-mentioned African Grey that would literally talk from sun up to sun down most days which was why he was given to me and also why I eventually placed him with the person (a woman who is the next thing to completely deaf) who still has him to this day. He also was now somewhat picky about who he would allow to pet him after his typical bout of play.

He was never aggressive about it he would just wander off rather that butting into them with his head in the "You Must Scratch Me Now" position. The biggest change that I noticed was that Merlin had began to be very aware of other birds. Before this he had ignored them in favor of people or dogs that he treated as big toys. His interest in birds was definitely one based on him teaching them immediately that he was the reigning King of all Birds. It made no difference to him whether they were smaller or much larger than him they needed to give a lot of space or else.

Many of you have heard of the legend of Merlin. Merlin is my 10-year-old male Dusky Pionus. After working with birds for over 25 years, I have never met a bird as fearless as him. Although he has on rare occasions shown what could have been viewed as fear or nervousness when confronted by something startling, he has never remained afraid or nervous longer then a few seconds. His typical reaction is to turn around and immediately confront the cause of his nervousness.

His usual method of confrontation is to charge directly at it and see how it responds. When the subject of his charge is an inanimate object he tends to check the object over and either chew on it, eat it or ignore it thereafter. When the subject is alive his reaction depends completely on theirs. If they remain still he will usually display at them and then go on about his business as long as they don't push the issue. If they decide to try to pick him up he will go for blood, how they next react determines everything.

How do I love Merlin - Let me count my fingers? Yes this is the way our relationship began over a year ago. Merlin, Terry's 12-year-old male Dusky Pionus came complete with an extra charge of testosterone. Ask Dr. Tammy Jenkins, as most of you know besides surgical sexing, the only reliable way to determine sex in a bird is through a DNA blood test. Merlin's testicles were the first Dr. Jenkins had ever seen show up on X-ray. Terry of course was extremely proud. I began to understand the challenges that lie ahead.

My first opinion of Merlin was how beautiful he was. The deep purples, pinks, reds, and cobalt of his plumage are exquisite. Than I thought how sweet he looked. Why would Terry tell me to be careful? Than this sweet little bird puffed up to four times his regular size and began charging the side of his cage to drive me away. I was shocked to say the least but from that point on I was determined that Merlin and I would somehow become friends.

I learned quickly that I had not been paying attention to what were very obvious signals Merlin was giving me. When his wings vibrated and his body puffed I knew that I would be bit. So how was I to interact with Merlin with out getting bitten or showing any kind of fear or hesitancy towards him?

Terry and I began with me using the "step-up" command, which Merlin knows well. I would up him either off the floor or from Terry. I did not attempt to remove Merlin from his cage or play tree. I would sit on the floor with Merlin and let him come to me as he chose, never doing anything to make him feel threatened.

The time came when I could scratch the top of his head, at his request of course, and play with him when he was out of his cage. Now the time had arrived for me to get Merlin out of his cage. The method that I used has now become a game for Merlin and a way that anyone can easily remove him from his cage. I opened his cage door and told him he had to come out so we could clean his cage. I had a towel that I was going to handle him in and than sit with him for a while. We sat until Merlin seemed to settle down and I let him out of the towel to roam around on the bed while I cleaned his cage. I returned him to his cage using the same method and praising him constantly. This was the method that we used for about a week. Then Merlin surprised me again. When I went into his cage with the towel he leaped onto it and rode it out of his cage. Yes, I thought I was a goner, but he just rode it out and hopped off on the bed.

This seemed to be a method that Merlin decided he enjoyed. I have since moved on to being able to remove him from his cage with the step-up command, however, for anyone that Merlin is not yet comfortable with he still will hop onto the towel and ride it to his next destination. As my relationship with Merlin advanced he decided that since he didn't drive me away that I should be his mate. Oh yes, here is where it gets good. Now Merlin has decided that trying to feed me is a very important job of his. Anytime we allowed Merlin to play on the ground he would run for a corner of the kitchen. A space that he decided would be a great nest site for us. He would go to the site and call out to me loudly. If I would try to enter the area and Step him up he would go for me. This is about the time that I could clearly understand how hormonal he could be. Watching Merlin through these times I can honestly say that I could see his eyes glaze over and his brain shut off as his hormones took over. I would either walk away from him showing no interest and have Terry step him up or I would return him to his cage using the same towel method I used to initially remove him from his cage. This worked well for us.

I have learned so much about parrot behavior from Merlin. I have learned by paying attention to his behaviors how not to bring on aggression. For instance, pionus fall into a very deep sleep so I always make sure I talk to Merlin and he his awake before I remove him from his cage. Merlin is also very food driven so I do not sit with him when I am eating. I will put him on his perch and offer him food in his bowl. That way we can eat together as a flock but not in an aggressive way.

I look back over the past year we have had together and I cannot imagine that I was unable to recognize his signals from the beginning. Merlin is truly very predictable and all I have to do is pay attention and we have no problems. I also have noticed that Merlin picks up very quickly on any of my own nervousness towards a situation. If I am calm and well in control Merlin will be as well. Truth told I wouldn't change any of my time with Merlin. I truly believe we have an understanding of each other and I feel honored to have become his friend. .