"I don't know how many see this site, but I just wanted to share a story about Tika, my BTM. She accidentally got loose and went missing. She was just a baby and had not yet mastered flight. The wind was blowing hard and she could not figure out how to descend. When she flew out of sight my heart broke. Since she is a critically endangered species, the local newspaper and news channel spread her story to the community. We searched endlessly for her and the out pouring of friends, family, and community support was heart warming. After five days, our hope of recovering her turned into relentless grief. But then, a miracle happened. a stranger was watching his grandchildren play outside when he heard Tika screaming overhead. He looked up and spotted Tika who was being chased by two large hawks. Tika took refuge in a small oak tree nearby. He spoke softly and called to her, enticing her with an apple he had been eating. Out of desperation, she landed on his shoulder and began ravenously consuming the apple. He took her inside and called our number, and we were reunited!!! It seemed like a miracle! Tika was so weak she could barely stand, but she recovered fully. In tracking her travels (our sightings and others) we figured she went approximately 40 miles. NOW FOR THE REST OF THE STORY... our breeder put us in touch with Dave & Jaime Womach, professional bird trainers. They encouraged us not to clip Tika's wings, but to teach her recall flight training instead. We wanted Tika to enjoy being a bird and to be healthy and happy physically and mentally. We were hopeful and terrified at the same time, but we signed up for the expeience. We worked with Tika daily, increasing our bond tremendously. This October (2009) we joined the Womachs and others in Moab, Utah, and we free flighted our birds. It was beautiful, amazing, and our hearts were filled with joy to watch these magnificent creatures fly across canyons, play in the wind, and be free. Mind you, this is only something I would recommend under the strict guidelines of a trained professional, but our experience could not have been better. Tika now free flights with us in our home state of California (being very mindful to take all safety precautions of course). But, I really wanted to share this story because it is not just a story about Tika, but a special testimant of how amazing the BTM's and really, all parrots species in general can truly be. "
"Connie Vasquez"
