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Week #6
http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/index.ssf/2013/07/parrot_presentation_at_washing.html
KALAMAZOO, MI -- When Denise Heath's last duck died after three juveniles ravaged her 2-acre yard and pond, she ached for vindication.
Plants were snapped, lawn furniture swamped, and rocks surrounded nine dead ducklings. Thousands of landscaping dollars were wasted, and Denise sank into depression.
"The cutest thing is a baby duck," Heath said. "It mortifies me. How can you kill? What makes that fun?"
That dreaded day in 2000 led to Heath's business Avian Wonders, which started in 2005.
Every year, she runs 10 to 20 events, showing her 30 parrots and educating the community through private parties, corporate events, school assemblies, fairs, parades, festivals — and Tuesday's show at Washington Square Branch Library.
More than 20 children shrieked and giggled as one bird fluttered around the room.
"My favorite part was when I was holding the birds on my arm and one got on my head. It tickled." Jhoshua Iglesias, 9, said. "I learned that you should not overfeed them or they will die."
His twin brother Isay added: "When you hold them you have to go slowly."
The show lasted about 45 minutes and included a short educational presentation. Afterward, kids fed the bigger parrots grapes from toothpicks, petted Bud the umbrella cockatoo, applied temporary macaw tattoos and selected one feather to take home.
"What I like is seeing the amazement of the kids, hearing them say 'This is cool!' or 'They are like people'" Heath said. "I am hoping they will take back a respect for nature and treat animals more kindly."
Heath, a registered nurse since 1990, parallels her neurology expertise at Bronson Methodist Hospital to her backyard bird rehabilitation.
"Kids that harm animals will harm people later in life, and it has been proven," Heath said. "They see their parent do that to their spouse and think that's okay."
When she is not working her three consecutive 12-hour shifts, Heath spends "many hours" training her various birds: macaws, cockatoos, conures, parakeets, lovebirds, finches, Amazons and other parrot subspecies.Her time spent pays off in her relationships with her birds. Bud, the umbrella cockatoo, can swing, say "hello" and "I love you," sway his head and kiss. Plus, he is potty trained.
She has worked with veterinarian Dr. Charles Mehne and is a Great Lakes Avicultural Society member, which meets in Grand Rapids. But her favorite part of her passion is sharing her love for animals with others.
"As a kid she would take field mice out of cats' mouths and bring them in, and luckily I was the kind of mom that appreciated all of that," said Heath's mom, Lori Anderson, who helped with Tuesday's show. "She has always been like that. She was born with it. This was something she had always wanted to do, and she did it all on her own."
Heath's husband Dennis, an emergency room nurse at Bronson, and 24-year-old son Jessie also help raise and present the birds.
"People started giving me their birds, and I thought I could do something with this." said Heath, recalling the beginnings to Avian Wonders. "I just want kids involved."
Heath's next public presentation is on Aug. 24 at Skidmore Park in Three Rivers.
KALAMAZOO, MI -- When Denise Heath's last duck died after three juveniles ravaged her 2-acre yard and pond, she ached for vindication.
Plants were snapped, lawn furniture swamped, and rocks surrounded nine dead ducklings. Thousands of landscaping dollars were wasted, and Denise sank into depression.
"The cutest thing is a baby duck," Heath said. "It mortifies me. How can you kill? What makes that fun?"
That dreaded day in 2000 led to Heath's business Avian Wonders, which started in 2005.
Every year, she runs 10 to 20 events, showing her 30 parrots and educating the community through private parties, corporate events, school assemblies, fairs, parades, festivals — and Tuesday's show at Washington Square Branch Library.
More than 20 children shrieked and giggled as one bird fluttered around the room.
"My favorite part was when I was holding the birds on my arm and one got on my head. It tickled." Jhoshua Iglesias, 9, said. "I learned that you should not overfeed them or they will die."
His twin brother Isay added: "When you hold them you have to go slowly."
The show lasted about 45 minutes and included a short educational presentation. Afterward, kids fed the bigger parrots grapes from toothpicks, petted Bud the umbrella cockatoo, applied temporary macaw tattoos and selected one feather to take home.
"What I like is seeing the amazement of the kids, hearing them say 'This is cool!' or 'They are like people'" Heath said. "I am hoping they will take back a respect for nature and treat animals more kindly."
Heath, a registered nurse since 1990, parallels her neurology expertise at Bronson Methodist Hospital to her backyard bird rehabilitation.
"Kids that harm animals will harm people later in life, and it has been proven," Heath said. "They see their parent do that to their spouse and think that's okay."
When she is not working her three consecutive 12-hour shifts, Heath spends "many hours" training her various birds: macaws, cockatoos, conures, parakeets, lovebirds, finches, Amazons and other parrot subspecies.Her time spent pays off in her relationships with her birds. Bud, the umbrella cockatoo, can swing, say "hello" and "I love you," sway his head and kiss. Plus, he is potty trained.
She has worked with veterinarian Dr. Charles Mehne and is a Great Lakes Avicultural Society member, which meets in Grand Rapids. But her favorite part of her passion is sharing her love for animals with others.
"As a kid she would take field mice out of cats' mouths and bring them in, and luckily I was the kind of mom that appreciated all of that," said Heath's mom, Lori Anderson, who helped with Tuesday's show. "She has always been like that. She was born with it. This was something she had always wanted to do, and she did it all on her own."
Heath's husband Dennis, an emergency room nurse at Bronson, and 24-year-old son Jessie also help raise and present the birds.
"People started giving me their birds, and I thought I could do something with this." said Heath, recalling the beginnings to Avian Wonders. "I just want kids involved."
Heath's next public presentation is on Aug. 24 at Skidmore Park in Three Rivers.
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KALAMAZOO, MI -- When Denise Heath's last duck died after three juveniles ravaged her 2-acre yard and pond, she ached for vindication.
Plants were snapped, lawn furniture swamped, and rocks surrounded nine dead ducklings. Thousands of landscaping dollars were wasted, and Denise sank into depression. "The cutest thing is a baby duck," Heath said. "It mortifies me. How can you kill? What makes that fun?" That dreaded day in 2000 led to Heath's business Avian Wonders, which started in 2005. Every year, she runs 10 to 20 events, showing her 30 parrots and educating the community through private parties, corporate events, school assemblies, fairs, parades, festivals — and Tuesday's show at Washington Square Branch Library. More than 20 children shrieked and giggled as one bird fluttered around the room. "My favorite part was when I was holding the birds on my arm and one got on my head. It tickled." Jhoshua Iglesias, 9, said. "I learned that you should not overfeed them or they will die." His twin brother Isay added: "When you hold them you have to go slowly." The show lasted about 45 minutes and included a short educational presentation. Afterward, kids fed the bigger parrots grapes from toothpicks, petted Bud the umbrella cockatoo, applied temporary macaw tattoos and selected one feather to take home. "What I like is seeing the amazement of the kids, hearing them say 'This is cool!' or 'They are like people'" Heath said. "I am hoping they will take back a respect for nature and treat animals more kindly." Heath, a registered nurse since 1990, parallels her neurology expertise at Bronson Methodist Hospital to her backyard bird rehabilitation. "Kids that harm animals will harm people later in life, and it has been proven," Heath said. "They see their parent do that to their spouse and think that's okay." When she is not working her three consecutive 12-hour shifts, Heath spends "many hours" training her various birds: macaws, cockatoos, conures, parakeets, lovebirds, finches, Amazons and other parrot subspecies.Her time spent pays off in her relationships with her birds. Bud, the umbrella cockatoo, can swing, say "hello" and "I love you," sway his head and kiss. Plus, he is potty trained. She has worked with veterinarian Dr. Charles Mehne and is a Great Lakes Avicultural Society member, which meets in Grand Rapids. But her favorite part of her passion is sharing her love for animals with others. "As a kid she would take field mice out of cats' mouths and bring them in, and luckily I was the kind of mom that appreciated all of that," said Heath's mom, Lori Anderson, who helped with Tuesday's show. "She has always been like that. She was born with it. This was something she had always wanted to do, and she did it all on her own." Heath's husband Dennis, an emergency room nurse at Bronson, and 24-year-old son Jessie also help raise and present the birds. "People started giving me their birds, and I thought I could do something with this." said Heath, recalling the beginnings to Avian Wonders. "I just want kids involved." Heath's next public presentation is on Aug. 24 at Skidmore Park in Three Rivers. |
