Key the rescued macaw

by tom
(california)

This story starts almost one year ago.Good friends of mine own a bird based pet store not so much for the money but for education.They are very good bird people, they wont just sell a bird they expect folks to come in and learn about the birds and understand the under takings of them.November of last year Key came in from
a lady wanting to put her on consignment and they agreed.She explained that Key was 21 years old and had ,had 3 prior homes.She was a d,n,a,ed female and well she sat there for a year.I would go a few times a week and feed her treats thru the bars and when the store was empty i would open the door and feed her. She was espially scared of men so it was an under taking but eventually she trusted me enough to take the treats with out the security of the bars.I could never personally afford to purchase a macaw so she was my surrigate and i would get teased from the owners of the store always just saying i should take "the buzz saw with feathers home and see if i really wanted a macaw"
We would always laugh and joke about it but one day about two months ago they showed up to my home with a cage and the buzz saw.They explained that she probably never get a proper home they had turned down many offers from breeders or novice bird owners for her and finally decided to pay off her consignment and find her a proper forever home.As soon as she was in her cage and they had left i saw her do something i had never seen her do. She did the happy Macaw dance. She musta realized she was here for good. Now as you see the buzz saw with feathers comes out and is very loveing. The pic attached is her first time out of the cage on someones arm probably for many years. I strongely encourage anybody who is looking at getting one of these majestic birds first study,study, study, and second look at adopting an older bird,yes they may have some baggage but who doesn't.The rescue's just seem to be so much more appreaciateive and it is so worth while to give them that chance..