Of all the birds that Susan and I rescued and rehabbed, there were four who were far more special than the rest. I spent nearly 15 years with Andy, Eddie, and Tyler. About 5 years with Angel. It's impossible to tell people how intelligent they are. Understanding takes time with them, including a great deal of objective observation.
One day, if you're very very lucky, you will finally understand the depth of their minds. They're not people, but they're no less sapient. I spent decades searching in non-humans, for what Andy finally revealed to me. We were true friends after that moment, and so were all the others.
You'll really miss out, if you miss The Andy Show
Only one of these videos is high-res. The rest are much older, before good digital cameras were common. I only put them here to make a point.
Large parrots are not pets. Get ready for VERY LOUD screaming for hours at a time, several times per day. You'll spend many thousands of dollars per year to keep ONE captive cockatoo alive and healthy. If you let them out of your sight for a moment, and you will, they WILL do thousands of dollars damage to home and contents.
Always remember, they're just beginning their life. The most fortunate of captive toos will outlive several caretakers. The majority die before they hit puberty.
Angel acting neurotic on the fence. It's really just pure happy.
Several minutes of Eddie screaming.
Eddie screaming while Tyler begs for attention in the background.
This is mostly a boring video, until they actually move a bit. You can watch the TV, about as interesting as the boys.
Two birds in the back yard.
Two big birds. Andy and Eddie in the backyard.
Susan said Andy often attacked her if I wasn't home. She took a video to prove it. Andy is definitely looking for a way to get Susan, who jumped on a chair for safety.