It’s not every day that one gets to hang out with a pirate and have a trained, money-hungry parrot land on your outstretched finger, but that is what’s been going on at the Umatilla County Fair this week.
One of the more popular shows that takes place each day of the fair is the Pirate’s Parrot Show. Chris Biro, dressed in heavy pirate gear despite the triple digit temperatures, strives to entertain as well as educate his audience about the unique birds in his show.
“Parrots actually make fantastic pets if you know what you’re getting into,” he said. Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know what they’re getting into before they buy a parrot.
For example, while they can talk if trained, they are also capable of making enough noise to drive your neighbors crazy if you live in an apartment. They can also bite off your finger if you’re not careful.
Biro, a Walla Walla native, said many of the birds in his collection came from people desperate to get rid of them after realizing they aren’t exactly low-maintenance pets.
“My job as an animal trainer is to set these animals up to succeed,” he said. His birds are uncaged, yet do not fly away. They do, however, fly into the audience to snatch up dollar bills held up by audience members.
Biro also had an audience member sing Old MacDonald, after which one of the show’s parrots sang it back to him.
He said parrots are highly intelligent animals who don’t just mimic the words of humans, but can also understand their meaning.
Here’s a few interesting facts about parrots:
- There are 372 species of parrots
- Their toes are zygodactyl, meaning two toes facing forward and two facing backward
- 90 percent of all parrots are left-handed (90 percent of humans are right-handed)
- About a third of parrots currently face extinction
- Many parrots can live between 35-55 years
- The largest breed of parrot – the flightless kakapo – can weigh as much as 9 pounds
Biro runs a nonprofit organization called Bird Recovery International aimed at helping endangered parrots. He said he always emphasizes that parrots, like all animals, are unique with specific needs.
“Think of the needs of the animal before you take it home,” he advises.
The Umatilla County Fair wraps up its five-day run today. The Pirate Parrot Show can be seen at noon, 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
