Their intelligence, dexterity, and ability to mimic the human voice continues to captivate humankind. And, while the parrot is demanding and loquacious, it is the third most popular American pet, after dogs and cats. Ray Datz, vice president of the Real Macaw Parrot Club, has five parrots and he has taught them all tricks. While recovering from a back injury, Datz had the chance to put in extensive time with the birds. I had long experience in training dogs.
Training takes patience.
I work step by step with the parrots, but, no matter how tedious, I really enjoy training. Datz uses verbal commands and gestures to teach his birds the tricks. Four of his birds have become seasoned performers. His parrots can play basketball, ride a toy bicycle, drive a miniature car, work a custom-made wheel barrow, jump through hoops, and play a little piano on a little piano . All his birds talk, but his smartest bird, Peanuts can do nine tricks.