One Macaw, Two Macaw, Three Macaw

A friend asked me to babysit a Macaw parrot that was being sold. I brought the huge cage into my living room (it took up about a quarter of my living room) and a huge tree branch that I propped up on the cage to the window sash so the parrot could walk on it to look out the window. The Macaw was very beautiful and friendly. It would sit on my shoulder while I sat on the couch. I decided to introduce my cat Fluff to the Macaw. So while I was sitting on the couch and the Macaw was on my shoulder I held Fluff on my lap, the Macaw bent down and tried to nip Fluff on the nose. That was all it took and we all knew who was the boss. Outside my apartment I had a flat roof top that served as a terrace. From my living room windows you could see the roof top. I often let Fluff out the kitchen window to run on the roof top. Then I would call her back in, "Fluff, Fluff" and she would come in. The parrot learned her name and when it would see Fluff on the roof top it would call out, "Fluff, Fluff"! It had a small vocabulary. When I would give it something to eat it would say, "Mmmmm, good!" I used to put it on my arm and take it into the bathroom, turn on the shower and and pass the parrot under the shower. It loved it! Then someone bought this beautiful bird and I had to let it go to it's new owners. I was very sorry to see it go. But then the second Macaw came to stay by me. It was completely different colors, completely different set of words and completely different personality. I would come near the cage and it would screech as if I was going to attack it. I realized that this bird had been sorely treated. So I spoke very quietly to it and reassured it that I was not going to hurt it. It did not take long to calm down and trust me. Soon it was sitting on my shoulder on the couch. I would bring it into the kitchen to keep me company while I cooked, etc. I tried to take it into the shower on my arm to pass it under the shower but it didn't like that. We were in the kitchen and the parrot was sitting on the back of the kitchen chair while I was doing the dishes. I decided to try to give it a bath rather than a shower. So I took a tub and started to fill it up in the sink. It started to dance on the back of the chair and said, "What is it? What is it?" I said, "It's a bath." The parrot said, "Who's it for? Who's it for?" I answered, "It's for you." and with that I took the parrot onto my arm and lowered him into the tub which it readily let me do. Such an incredible moment! Soon that Macaw sold also and I had to let it go. I was really saddened to see it leave but I know that the people who spent $800 on this Macaw would take very good care of it. After the second Macaw left I turned my attention to the third Macaw which was not coming to stay with me it had been given to a pet store on Coney Island Avenue that primarily sold pigeons. I went to the pet shop and there was this beautiful Macaw in a cage (too small a cage). Again, so completely different from the other two. Very docile, looking very healthy and calm. Once I was satisfied that the Macaw was in a good place I decided to leave. This is the one and only time that I had anything to do with these majestic, incredible birds. It was a total learning experience for me. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat!!