Story Bird: CheekyBird

CheekyBird was eight years old and the center of the household.  She never had her wings clipped regularly and flew all over the place. That was ok because there were only two other inhabitants of the household. They were always very very careful about windows and doorways. CheekyBird was fascinated with the gas stove, especially when "mom" had to lift the top and relight a burner.  So, Mom and Dad wouldn't let her in the kitchen. She was kept in the cage or the kitchen entrance was blocked off. BUT, one day, Mom forgot CheekyBird was out flying around.  Mom had to relight a  pilot light and was raising the top of the stove.  CheekyBird heard the top being lifted and zoomed right into the top of the stove.  Mom freaked and scooped CheekyBird up and tossed her out of the stove.  Somehow, CheekyBird's little leg got hurt. Mom in a panic again scooped her up, and not thinking things through, put her in a small carrier and took her to the car.  In the car, CheekyBird got out and went into a frenzy of flying and bouncing off the windows of the interior of the car. CheekyBird was hurt to begin with, and this added to her frenzied behavior. She got down between a door and a seat while Mom was stopping the car.  Mom eased open the door and CheekBird came racing up and out of the door.  Mom and Dad watched as CheekyBird stayed in the top of a tree.  Mom went to call for help and when she came  back, she found Dad devastated.  CheekyBird had taken flight and Dad couldn't keep up and lost her.   CheekyBird's many friends searched in cold rain and sunshine for days and never found her. CheekyBird was not consistently clipped as a fledging growing into an adult. It seemed cruel to continue to clip her now and again when she got so used to flying about. So, now Mom and Dad have a new flock, Ydra a Red Lored Amazon and Ava a Black Capped Conure, and they are both clipped regularly!  Mom and Dad are not going to lose another feathered kid to stupidity again. As a side note, CheekyBird was a lovebird that had more personality than our two new birds combined, but we are working with them and hope they get real cheeky too!