IN A PARROT HOUSE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 21 August 1926, Page 11

IN A PARROT HOUSE.

TWENTY years in pandemonium may * ho said' to be the experience of Mr \\\ Aiden, head keeper of the parrot house at the London Zoo. Keeper Alden’s ears are so inured to discord, however, that he is quite proud of the vocal accomplishments of his charges. His particular favourite is Cocky, a Jifty-live-year-old Australian silver-crested cockatoo, who came to the Zoo nineteen years ago.

‘Another old favourite of mine is Norali, a blue and yellow macaw. When taken out of doors on her string tile first thing site calls out is ‘Hold tight!’ She will bark and meow just like a dog or eat, while another trick is to mimic people Avith a cold, coughing and sneezing exactly as they do. ‘‘We have had some ‘operatic stars’ here at times, including several pets of Madame Patti, who, trained by her, used to run right up the scale to the highest notes.. Amongst our performing birds, Mary, a cockatoo, is a wonderful dancer. Though a hundred years old, she still waltzes and jazzes. One of our most amusing birds is a small Senegal parrot, who will ‘die’ to order.

‘‘ln training parrots you must never lose your teiUpor, ” added Keeper Alden. ‘‘You have to be very patient., but, when you hav e trained them, they will never forget.”