I've been a bird guy a lot longer (since the mid-80s) than I've been a dog guy. This one is Papagena, a Solomon Islands eclectus parrot. She's female; the species is sexually dimorphic. The males are mostly green, with red under their wings and a candy-corn colored beak. Very striking.
Papagena is no longer with me. She became extremely hormonal to the point her health was endangered because she kept laying eggs -- not a good thing for any bird, save perhaps chickens. I wound up rehoming her with a person who wanted to give her a chance at breeding -- it was definitely something she wanted to do.
I've had a number of other parrots and we fostered more than a few along the way. Fascinating creatures. Right now, the only parrot in the house is a Congo African grey named Jackie. She tries to talk, but as she was never socialized as a young bird (she's probably about 18 years old now), she doesn't really though she tries. Some parrots will talk your ear off, others won't.
I'll be posting a photo or two of dogs we've had in our lives separately. Right now, I have only Pepper, a female lab mix. Adopted her from the county humane society after I lost Zoey, our AKC registered yellow lab and certified therapy dog back in April. She was on the operating table to remove a mast cell tumor and died on the table.
